Quiche Lorraine

A classic Quiche Lorraine with bacon, onion, Gruyere or Swiss and Parmesan in a nutmeg-scented egg custard, baked in a partly baked 9-inch crust. Serve as an hors d'oeuvre or main course.

From the recipe book of Sandra Mills, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained cook in our family.

Steak and Seafood title card for Quiche Lorraine, photo coming soon
  • Prep 20 min
  • Cook 30 min
  • Total 50 min
  • Yield 1 (9 inch) quiche

Jump to: Ingredients | Instructions | Tips | Questions | Print recipe

Sandra Mills's Quiche Lorraine is the classic French tart: crisp bacon, onion softened in the bacon fat, cubes of Gruyere or Swiss and grated Parmesan, covered with an egg and milk custard seasoned with nutmeg and white pepper.

The crust is baked briefly first so it stays crisp, and the quiche bakes hot, then lower, until set. She serves it immediately, cut into small wedges as an hors d'oeuvre or larger slices as a main course.

Ingredients

  • One 9-inch unbaked pie crust
  • 4 strips of bacon
  • 1 onion, sliced thin
  • 1 cup Gruyere or Swiss cheese, cubed
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  2. Partly bake the crust. Prick the sides and bottom of the pie crust and bake for 5 minutes.
  3. Cook the bacon and onion. In a large frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Cook the onion in the remaining fat until it is transparent.
  4. Fill. Crumble the bacon and sprinkle it, the onion and the cheeses over the bottom of the partly baked pie shell.
  5. Add the custard. Combine the eggs, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper and pour over the onion and cheese mixture.
  6. Bake. Bake for 15 minutes at 450°F. Reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake approximately 10 minutes longer, or until a knife inserted one inch from the edge comes out clean.
  7. Serve. Serve immediately as an hors d'oeuvre or main course.

Tips

  • Set the pie plate on a baking sheet to make it easier to move the full quiche in and out of the oven.
  • The center may still look slightly soft when the knife test passes; it finishes setting as it stands.

Questions about this recipe

How do I know when quiche is done?
Sandra's test: a knife inserted one inch from the edge comes out clean. The very center will still be slightly soft and sets as it stands.

More hors d'oeuvres recipes

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