Quiche Lorraine

By lorik

Once the dough is pressed into the pie plate, it can be refrigerated for 2 days or double-wrapped in plastic and frozen for 1 month. After it has baked and cooled, the shell can be wrapped and held at room temperature for 1 day. If making ahead, heat the pie shell in a 350-degree oven for 5 minutes before adding the custard in step 4. Grate the Gruyère on the small holes of a box grater for the best texture.

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 ounces cream cheese softened
• Custard and Topping:
• 5 slices bacon, chopped fine
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Pinch nutmeg
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Gruyère cheese
• Upscale Variation from Tasting Table:
• For the Piecrust:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 1/2 cup ice-cold water
• For the Filling:
• 8 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 thyme sprigs, plus 1 teaspoon minced leaves, divided
• 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup finely grated Gruyère cheese, divided
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 8 eggs
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons minced chives
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Pinch cayenne pepper

Details

Adapted from cookscountry.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. MAKE DOUGH Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk flour, Parmesan, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until dough forms large clumps, about 1 minute. Reserve 3 tablespoons dough. Flatten remaining dough into 6-inch disk and transfer to center of 9-inch pie plate.

2. BLIND-BAKE Following the photos 1 to 4 of No Fuss Crust, press dough evenly into bottom and sides of pie plate and use reserved dough to form crimped rim. Refrigerate dough for 20 minutes, then transfer to freezer until firm, about 10 minutes. Spray two 12-inch-square pieces of foil lightly with cooking spray and arrange greased-side down in chilled pie shell. Top with pie weights and fold excess foil over edges of dough. Bake until surface of dough no longer looks wet, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and continue to bake until crust just begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool until just warm, about 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

3. MIX CUSTARD While crust cools, cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes; transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Whisk half-and-half, sour cream, eggs, yolk, salt pepper, nutmeg, Gruyère, and 3/4 of bacon in large bowl.

4. BAKE Pour custard mixture into warm pie shell and bake until crust is golden and custard is set around edges, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle remaining bacon over surface of quiche and continue to bake until center of quiche is barely set, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Serve. (Quiche can be refrigerated in airtight container or wrapped in plastic for 3 days)

Variation:
1. Make the piecrust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and sugar. Using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until pea-sized pieces form. Add the water and continue to knead until a dough forms. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, make the filling: In a 12-inch skillet, heat the bacon over medium heat and cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon is golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a medium bowl.

3. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of rendered bacon fat from the pan, reserving for another use. Add the shallots, 2 thyme sprigs and onions to the pan, and cook until the onions have softened, 4 to 5 minutes, scraping up any fond that has formed on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the softened onions to the bowl with the bacon, discarding the thyme sprigs. Let cool completely.

4. While the bacon and onions cool, blind-bake your piecrust: Preheat the oven to 350°. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pie dough into a 12-inch round, then fit into a 9-inch pie tin. Fold any overhang underneath itself to have an even crust you can crimp. Place a sheet of parchment over the crust and fill with baking beans. Bake until the edges begin to get a touch of color, 20 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment, then continue to bake until lightly golden, another 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with ½ cup of the grated Gruyère. Let the crust cool as the cheese melts. Reduce the oven to 325°.

5. In a blender, purée the cream and eggs until smooth. Transfer to the bowl with the cooled bacon, then add the remaining filling ingredients and stir to combine.

6. Place the cooled crust on a sheet pan and pour in the filling. Bake until the eggs are set, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove and let cool completely before slicing and serving.