New York Times

Quiche Lorraine

The first quiche to come to the attention of the American public was the quiche Lorraine in the 1950s. Craig Claiborne, who started as food editor of The Times in 1957, created this classic recipe with bacon, onion and cheese to fill a pie dish. If you use a tart pan, expect to have extra custard. Keys to This Recipe What is quiche: In its most traditional French form, a quiche is composed of a buttery crust filled with a savory egg custard. The pastry is known as pâte brisée. Fillings can include any combination of cheese, herbs, vegetables and smoked meat or fish. How to Make Quiche: For any type of quiche, you start with homemade pastry dough or a store-bought pie crust and fit it into a 9- or 10-inch pie, tart or quiche pan. To prevent a soggy crust, par-bake the dough by baking it alone first, lined with parchment paper or foil and filled with pie weights, such as dried beans. Once the dough is golden, it can be filled with the custard and any other ingredients, then baked again until the custard is just set. Make-Ahead Tips for Quiche: Quiche tastes best when served after 20 to 30 minutes of cooling and within an hour of baking. It can be completely cooled, then covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days, but the crust will get soggy. It’s better to keep a fully baked quiche at room temperature for up to 6 hours and then reheat it, uncovered, in a 300-degree oven for 10 to 20 minutes. (If it has been in the refrigerator, add another 10 minutes or so.) You also can prepare the dough up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it or par-bake the crust up to a day in advance and keep it at room temperature. Side Dishes to Serve With Quiche: Because quiche is quite rich, it tastes best with a sharp, light salad, such as arugula salad or green salad. Gluten-Free Options for Quiche: You can purchase a gluten-free crust or make your own by swapping a 1-to-1 flour blend for all-purpose flour. Or, you can make a crustless quiche.