Quiche Lorraine is perhaps the most famous of all the French quiches. With its golden, flaky crust and rich, eggy cheese custard cradling bacon and chives, it’s a wonderful main dish at breakfast or brunch. Cold or room-temperature quiche, served alongside a salad, takes lunch from simple to special.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
To prepare the crust: Lightly grease a 9” pie pan or 10” round tart or quiche pan.
Roll the pastry dough into a circle 2” to 3” larger than the pan you’re using. Place the crust into the prepared pan.
Tuck any overhanging pastry beneath itself; this will build up the edge along the rim of the pan. Crimp as desired.
Prick (dock) the bottom with a fork every 2”. Brush with lightly beaten egg white, if desired; this will help the crust remain crisp.
Grease a sheet of foil or parchment and place it, greased side down, on top of the crust.
Weigh down the crust with a nesting pie or tart pan, pie weights, or dried beans; this will keep it from ballooning as it bakes.
Prebake the crust for 15 minutes; it won't be fully baked. Set the crust aside to cool for a few minutes, then remove the weights and foil.
Turn the oven down to 350°F.
To make the filling: Sauté the bacon until it's beginning to brown. Pour off as much fat as possible, then add the onion and cook until the bacon is crisp and the onion's soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and cream with the salt and pepper until the mixture is just below a simmer. Remove from the heat.
Place the eggs in a heatproof bowl, and whisk them just to combine.
Gently beat some of the hot cream into the eggs, then stir the hot cream/egg mixture back into the hot cream. (This is called tempering the eggs.)
To assemble and bake the quiche: Spoon the bacon and onions into the partially baked pie crust.
Pour the egg/cream mixture into the crust, then sprinkle with the chives and cheese.
Place the quiche on a baking sheet (to catch any drips), and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes. It’s done when a knife inserted about 2” from the edge comes out clean. The middle will still be wobbly, but the internal temperature at the center should register 160°F to 165°F on a digital thermometer.
Remove the quiche from the oven and allow it to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Storage information: Store leftover quiche, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat slices of quiche, lightly covered with foil, in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 minutes, or until heated through. Freezing is not recommended.
Quiche Lorraine made an elegant splash in 1950s America. Like pizza, its popularity in this country sprang from returning World War II veterans, who’d enjoyed quiche in France — particularly Paris, once that city was liberated. For American bakers, the notion of quiche was a simple leap from the familiar fruit or other sweet pie to something similar but savory. And while spinach has probably become the most commonly known quiche these days, Quiche Lorraine will always be a classic favorite.
