Learn to make this classic dish and you’ll always be ready for a party. Quiche is a favorite for entertaining, serving at brunch, or for a light dinner with a salad – hot or cold. Valued for its versatility, quiche Lorraine is a must in your repertoire of French cuisine basics. Read on for the history and our recipe.

Where Did Quiche Come From?

You may think of quiche as quintessentially French, but its origins are actually in medieval Germany. What is known today as Alsace-Lorraine – the border area that has gone back and forth between France and Germany – was once the medieval kingdom known as Lothringen. And it was there that someone baked a savory custard pie with bacon and called it kuchen – German for cake – which became quiche in French.

The dough changed from bread dough to puff pastry over the years and eventually, Gruyère cheese was added to the quiche Lorraine, as it morphed into the dish we know and love.

Today, quiche Lorraine is a well-regarded classic of French cuisine, and it experienced popularity in England and the United States during the 1950s. Julia Child made a cheese-free quiche Lorraine on her TV show, reverting to the historic recipe (she did her research).

Classic Quiche Lorraine Recipe

This classic quiche Lorraine recipe should be a part of every cook’s repertoire. For a uniquely D’Artagnan (and delicious) twist, we use our black truffle butter in the crust.

Ingredients

1½ cups all-purpose flour (188 grams)
Kosher salt
8 tablespoons Black Truffle Butter (115 grams), chilled
Iced water, as needed
8 strips Uncured Hickory Smoked Bacon
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
4 eggs + 1 egg yolk, beaten
2 cups half & half
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Make the crust: Cut truffle butter into ½ inch cubes and chill in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour and a pinch of salt. Add chilled butter, pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. While pulsing, slowly add ice water one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture starts to hold together in clumps. Total water amount will be between about 3-7 tablespoons depending on humidity. Turn mixture out onto a large piece of waxed paper or parchment and press together tightly into a disk. Wrap dough well and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
4. Place chilled dough between 2 large pieces of waxed paper or parchment and roll out into a 12-inch circle. Carefully line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough, folding the edges under to create a rim then crimp neatly. Place a sheet of parchment over the dough and weigh down with pie weights or dried beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and place pie dish on a rimmed sheet pan, set aside.
5. Lower oven to 375 degrees F.
6. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels then dice. To the rendered bacon fat, add shallots and thyme and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
7. In a large measuring cup with a pour spout, whisk together eggs, half & half, ½ teaspoon salt, nutmeg, and pepper. To the pie crust, add bacon, shallots, and both cheeses; spread evenly. Carefully pour custard over the bacon/shallot/cheese mixture. Bake quiche until just set, about 25 minutes. Cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Recipe tips: This recipe is written to fit in a 9-inch pie dish that’s at least 2” deep. If using a shallow tart tin, there will be leftover custard. Quiche can be served warm or at room temperature for any meal of the day. We like a lightly dressed green salad on the side.

---

Since 1985, D’Artagnan has been at the forefront of the farm-to-table movement, producing superior tasting products by partnering with small ranches and farms. We are committed to free-range, natural production, sustainable and humane farming practices and no use of antibiotics or hormones. That’s why D’Artagnan products have been revered by America’s most renowned chefs for over 30 years. We offer the same high-quality products to home cooks at dartagnan.com, along with recipes and guides to help you live the tasty life.

Are you a business looking to serve or sell D’Artagnan? We invite both chefs and food retailers to reach out and become D’Artagnan customers.

Connect with us on social media to share your cooking adventures. Tag @dartagnanfoods on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.