How to make a Quiche Lorraine

How to make a quique Lorraine Have you ever made a recipe because you thought that the process was very complicated or because you were sure that it would not work out for us?

Precisely that happened to me with quiches until the day when, thinking that it couldn’t be that bad, I “launched” at it. The result was perfect and delicious, so I discovered a quick and easy option to prepare a starter result that can be made with hundreds of combinations of ingredients.

This recipe is one of the great classics of French cuisine, the word “quiche” comes from the word küchen , from northern France. This in turn comes from the German kuchen (cake).

It is an open salty tart , made with shortcrust pastry (shortcrust pastry) filled with a mixture of crème fraîche and eggs called migaine , normally flavored with ground black pepper and nutmeg.

There are hundreds of variants, but it is this one, the Quiche Lorraine , considered the “mother” recipe of all of them. The ” quiche vosgienne ” with Gruyere cheese, the ” quiche alsacienne ” with sautéed onion rings, the ” quiche provençale ” with fresh sautéed vegetables, the ” quiche florentine ” with spinach … all of them are variants of the quiche lorraine adding one or the other ingredients.

On the blog you will find some variations, from the Swedish version,  Västerbottenostpajel , to its autumn version with this mushroom cake .

The shortcrust pastry (pâte briseé) or shortcrust pastry is a hard dough that is used as a base for salty cakes and sweets. The difference is simply in whether or not to add sugar and eggs in the preparation of the dough.

It is a brittle dough, which can easily remind us of the consistency of a cookie. Although the homemade dough will always give us a much better result, you can also choose to buy the prepared dough directly. There are plenty of brands on the market that can help us and will make our work much easier if we don’t have too much time.

Preparation of the shortcrust pastry. Base of the Quiche Lorraine

1. We place the dough in a low mold without removing the paper that comes with it in the package. It is sulfurized paper and it will avoid us having to spread the mold with butter so that the dough does not stick. Press lightly around the edge to shape it.
2. With a fork we prick the entire base well to prevent the dough from growing excessively during baking.
3. We put raw legumes on top (to avoid bubbles forming below).
4. We preheat the oven to 180º C.
5. Bake at 180º C in the middle tray with heat up and down. We cook half the dough for approximately 10-15 minutes, until it is slightly toasted.
6. This pre-cooking is very important to avoid breaking the quiche due to the weight of the filling in the final mold release. This will be perfect for you.

Preparation of the Quiche Lorraine

1. We cut the bacon into strips and sauté it in a pan.
2. It is not necessary to add oil or butter since the bacon has enough fat and it will be released as it cooks. It is not necessary to toast it too much, we just brown it a little and reserve.
3. In a bowl, add the crème freîche or the cream and the previously beaten eggs and mix well.
4. Add a pinch of nutmeg and another of ground black pepper, beat.
5. When we see that the bacon is ready we add it to the bowl and remove to integrate.
6. We pour the mixture over the pre-baked dough. We put in the oven already hot at 200º C for about 20 or 25 minutes, until we see that the egg is curdled.
7. We check that the quiche is baked by pricking it with a toothpick. If it comes out dry it is already done.
8. We can take it both cold and hot, but I think that just out of the oven it is in its fullness. Just yummy.

I encourage you to visit more recipes for tapas, snacks and pinchos  perfect for an unforgettable evening with yours.

You can see all the step-by-step photos of this classic Lorraine quiche recipe  in this album.

Tips for a Lorraine Yummy Quicue

• You can help your quiche have more flavor and a different touch by adding a large leek. Use only the white part in very small pieces and fry it, once poached in a little olive oil you can add it to the cream of the filling.
• If you can’t find leek you can substitute it for onion or even mix both ingredients.
• The crème fraîche is a traditional fresh cream from French gastronomy, with a soft and velvety texture, slightly acidic and with a subtle nutty flavor.
• It is quite easy to get in any supermarket or large area. Although if you can’t find it, you can substitute crème fraîche for cream for cooking with 35% fat or whipping cream.
• If you feel creative you can try other combinations for your quiche. You can prepare it with ham instead of bacon, with spinach and pine nuts … If you do not find a bacon you can use bacon or if you prefer a lighter version you can also do it with turkey tacos or cooked ham. Give it imagination!