Quiche Lorraine
May 20: National Quiche Lorraine Day
Quiche Lorraine was served at our shower on the mainland for our friends who were not able to make it to our wedding in Hawaii. Dr. Natalie R., who hosted this event for us, was raised in France as the daughter of a diplomat. Even with her privileged upbringing, she still learned to cook classic French food for her family and friends. We felt both lucky and luxurious when she shared her culture and cuisine at our special occasion!
For National Quiche Lorraine Day, we re-create the popular pie that Dr. Natalie made for our wedding shower by adapting a recipe from Julia Child’s famous cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”
Recipe
(Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child)
For the crust
- 2 cups flour
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- pinch of sugar
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter, cut into small pieces (we used President brand butter imported from France)
- 3 tablespoons of cold vegetable shortening
- 6 tablespoons ice water
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Directions
In a large bowl, sift the flour, salt and sugar together. Use a pastry cutter to work in the butter and shortening until the flour turns into a coarse meal. Add the water and stir to form a sticky dough. Roll into a ball, flatten into a small round, dust with flour and cover in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least two hours to set.
Bring the dough to room temperature before rolling it out on a lightly floured surface. Generously butter a tart pan and place the dough in it, flattening the bottom and bringing it up on the sides. Trim around the rim. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Line the dough with buttered foil and add pie weights on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes to set the crust. Remove the foil and weights and brush the bottom, sides and edges with egg. Bake the crust for another 5-10 minutes until it begins to brown. Remove from the oven and pour in the filling.
For the filling
- ¾ cup cooked real bacon pieces (we have used Hormel and Oscar Mayer brands)
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
- nutmeg to taste
Directions
Lay the bacon pieces on the bottom of the crust. Beat the eggs, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg together until well blended. Pour over the bacon in the crust. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until the egg mixture is cooked in the middle, puffed up and golden. Remove from the oven, carefully take out the quiche from the tart pan, slice into wedges and serve warm.
Notes
- Real bacon bits and pieces can be found where salad dressings and toppings are sold in the grocery store. Or cook bacon slices, drain on paper towels and crumble them for this recipe.
HI COOKERY 