When I was in college, I studied abroad in Tours, France. Every day for lunch, I walked to a nearby boulangerie and treated myself to a mini quiche Lorraine, then I’d stroll back to class through a maze of cobbled streets, relishing every bite while soaking up the scenery. I don’t recall a single course I took at that school, but the simple pleasure of eating that quiche is seared into my memory. The classic quiche Lorraine, named after the Lorraine region of France, is richly flavored with smoky bacon, nutty Gruyère cheese, and shallots. You can serve it for brunch, dinner, or anytime in between — and it’s especially good paired with a green salad and crisp white wine.

As with all of my quiche recipes, I recommend using heavy cream rather than milk or half & half for the filling. It’s also crucial to bake all quiches at 325°F rather than 350°F, as higher temperatures can cause the eggs to scramble. Finally, when it comes to the crust, there’s no shame in using store-bought (the French do it!). A homemade crust is delicious but time-consuming to make, and with a good-quality frozen crust, you can whip up an amazingly delicious quiche with almost no effort at all.

What You’ll Need To Make Quiche Lorraine

For the cheese, be sure to use an authentic Swiss-made Gruyère that bears the AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) seal, which shows that the cheese is made according to strict government-mandated rules and quality standards. It’s pricey but you only need 4 ounces (and any that you have leftover makes wonderful grilled cheese sandwiches).

cheese

Step-by-Step instructions

To begin, remove the pie crust from freezer and thaw for about 10 minutes. Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork.

Bake on until lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on it; if it puffs up while cooking, gently prick it with a fork so it will deflate.) Don’t panic if your crust cracks in the oven. You can easily fix it by making a smooth paste from 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 tablespoon of water. Using your fingers, patch up and fill any cracks with the paste, then place the crust back in the oven for a minute or so to set. It should be good as new.

While the crust cooks, dice the bacon. To make it easier to work with, pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes or so beforehand.

Place the diced bacon in a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Pour off all but one tablespoon of fat from the pan and add the shallots.

Cook over medium-low heat until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not brown. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs.

Add the heavy cream, salt, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg.

Whisk until evenly combined.

Spread the shallots evenly over the bottom of the cooked crust.

Top with half of the bacon.

Then all of the Gruyère.

Then the remaining bacon.

Pour the egg/cream mixture over top.

Slide the quiche (still on the baking sheet) into the oven and bake at 325°F for 45 to 50 minutes, until the custard is set and lightly golden. Serve the quiche hot or at room temperature.

How To Freeze Quiche Lorraine

This quiche freezes beautifully for up to three months. After baking and cooling the quiche, wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to eating. Remove the plastic wrap and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven until hot in the center.