Paired with a fresh salad in summer and spring, or with a hearty in soup in the winter, the perennial classic French Quiche Lorraine recipe is a dish as versatile as it is delicious.
July 14th marks Bastille Day, the day where all of France takes to the street and celebrates the French Revolution. Over here, it's also the perfect excuse to celebrate France's incredible contributions to the culinary world. And what better way to celebrate than with a chic and delicious savory quiche?
There are many versions of Quiche Lorraine, and there's some contention about what a true recipe should include. The original dish from Lorraine region of France did not include cheese. Made popular in America by the iconic Julia Child, this savory tart starts with a base of flaky, buttery tart crust, and builds up with a hearty layer of delicious Gruyere cheese, sumptuous smoked bacon (which you could easily substitute with smoked pancetta), all perfectly seasoned and welded together by a luscious mix of cream, milk and eggs.
The secret to a perfect quiche lies in the short crust. It should be buttery but not overwhelmingly rich, the texture both flaky and delicate, and never overwhelmingly dense.
So how do you achieve that? The best way is to make your own pastry dough, which gives you control of the ingredient proportions. Don't be intimidated! Making this pie crust is actually super simple and an essential skill to have. Our Quiche Lorraine recipe includes instructions to make your own pastry dough, from scratch, in just minutes. You can even make extra dough and freeze it for later use, so you only do the work once. If however, you're pressed for time, you can buy ready made dough or pastry shell.
Once you've mastered the Quiche Lorraine recipe, it's easy to bend the rules and experiment with your own ingredient combinations, and make great, inventive quiche recipes. Add seasonal vegetables, meats and sausage or seafood (like lobster!), and add your favorite cheese. The possibilities are endless...and delicious!