Quiche Lorraine Recipes

Whether you're a novice baker or a dab hand, there's little to beat the satisfaction of sliding a perfectly made flan into the oven, kneading a dough to just the right consistency, or making your favorite recipe and sipping a cup of coffee while the aromas of baking fill your kitchen.

There are so many good things about quiches―they taste great, can up the ante on an everyday meal, and they can look pretty sophisticated―but ranking way up there is how easy they are to make, and how a few simple ingredients can transform the ordinary into something truly spectacular.

Quiche lorraine is an old favorite that's earned its place in any selection of classic quiche recipes, not only because of its perfect blend of flavors, but also as a result of its versatility.

For the uninitiated, a quiche is traditionally made with eggs and milk in a blind baked pastry case―many French quiche lorraine recipes still stick to the authentic eggs, milk, cheese, and bacon in the form of an open pie, while modern versions often use a shortcrust pastry dough or even puff pastry to add some richness.

Whichever pie crust you choose, and whatever your choice of filling, it's hard to go wrong when the ingredients are so delicious. Listed below are two of the best recipes you'll find; each recipe uses one portion of shortcrust pastry, you can use store bought if you wish, or make it from scratch. Each recipe serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients

• Shortcrust pastry―1 portion (for a 9 inch crust)
• Butter―2 tbsp
• Lean ham―6 oz, diced
• Cheddar/Gruyère―1 cup, grated
• Onions―1 medium, roughly chopped

• Eggs―4, beaten
• Milk―1 cup
• Light cream―1 cup
• Salt―to taste
• Nutmeg―¼ tsp
• Fresh ground pepper―1 tsp

Method

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius, Gas Mark 6).

• Roll out the pastry to cover a 9-inch flan dish, then crimp the edges. Dock lightly with a fork, then line with aluminum foil, weigh down with pie weights or beans and bake blind for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.

• In a heavy bottom pan, heat a tablespoon of butter and lightly sauté the diced ham for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Remove, and drain on paper towels.
• In the same pan, add the onions and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

• Scatter both ham and sautéed onions over the blind baked pastry shell, then top with the cheese.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Pour this into the pastry shell, taking care to leave at least ¼ of an inch from the top.

• Bake in the oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until the custard is set and light golden in color.
• Remove from the oven, cool slightly and then cut into wedges.

Ingredients

• Enriched shortcrust pastry―1 portion (for a 9-inch pie crust)
• Bacon―12 strips
• Swiss cheese―1 cup, grated
• Onion―1/3 cup, finely chopped

• Eggs―4, beaten
• Half and half or whipping cream―2 cups
• Salt―to taste
• Pepper―½ tsp

Method

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius, Gas Mark 6).
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry, then use to line a pie dish and crimp the edges. Dock, and bake blind for about 12 to 15 minutes, remove from the oven and cool.

• In a skillet, fry the bacon till crisp, then drain on absorbent paper and crumble. Scatter over the pie shell.
• In the bacon fat, sauté the onions till transparent, and then add to the pie crust, top with the cheese.

• Whisk the eggs, cream, salt and pepper and pour over the bacon, onions, and cheese.
• Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until set; cool, cut into wedges, and serve.

There are enough variations on quiche lorraine recipes to satisfy even the pickiest eater. You could substitute mushrooms and spinach for the bacon, for a satisfying vegetarian option, or up the health quotient on a basic quiche recipe by using milk in place of cream. The classic quiche lorraine is an all time favorite, and once you take a bite of a piece warm from the oven, you'll soon see why.