Recipe of the week: The revamped quiche Lorraine

I love quiche. I just do. And I'm lactose intolerant, which is kind of a problem in relations to my love for the cheesiest quiche. Last year, I went to Paris and ate the best quiche on the planet at Angelina's and have been trying to re-create it. In other words, I've been attempting to re-live the unforgettable foodgasm I experienced. 

To be quite honest, I was never truly satisfied with the "Sassy quiche". Everyone loved it but there was something missing. It wasn't fluffy enough. Not "Angelina's" enough. Baking is not a joke: I had to remake it at least a dozen of times for me to find the perfect combination for the perfect recipe on top of figuring out how to make my own pie crust. You know the kind of recipe where people are almost crying while eating your meal? Yes. That's what I was looking for. Heck, even I wanted to be teary while eating it. 

I finally got it. There are a few tricks to achieving a quasi perfect quiche, such as too much butter and too much Gruyère cheese. The Gruyère makes all of the difference: It's high price is worth the expenditure because the taste is exquisite. Also, it is extremely important to use iced water (big mistake I used to make, I only used regular, room temperature water) as it keeps the butter intact without melting it. Another little trick of mine is to use either 2 table spoons of Tenderflake shortening or....bacon fat. You heard me: Bacon fat. 

Making your own crust is crucial. The store bought crust is good but nothing beats making your own. There's something about eating a pie made completely from scratch: The satisfaction is indescribable and it is fairly easy to make as long as you follow my specific instructions. You can use that pie for other meals such as meat pie ("tourtière") or French onion tart.

For the filling, I do something which might sound unorthodox...I replace 1 cup of heavy cream by....evaporated milk. Yes yes yes. Don't make that face. I find the taste is...different....In a good way. I can't really describe it but you have to trust me on this one. I've even made it using ONLY Carnation milk and it still turned out pretty good. Also, I caramelize my onions and don't just sautè them. It does take longer but the trick is to do it at the beginning of the recipe so that they cook slowly while you are preparing the crust.

For the pie crust, you will need

-1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) of half-salted butter cut into cubes

A lof of recipes call for unsalted butter. I never buy unsalted butter soooo.....Yeah.

-1 egg

-1.5 cups of all purpose flour

-1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

-Optional: 1-2 tablespoons of Tenderflake or bacon fat 

-1/2 cup of iced water (keep the ice in it)

SO!

For every step, you can use a food processor or a hand mixer. I am old school and use my hands to mix everything.

-Mix the flour and baking soda. Add the butter and mix until the butter is fairly reduced in teeny tiny pieces, kind of like peas. Add the shortening or bacon fat, if you are using any and mix roughly. 

-Add the egg and some water, one tablespoon at a time. Mix until dough forms and you can easily handle it. 

-On a floured surface, make a ball with the dough. Wrap it in saran-wrap and refrigerate from 30 minutes or overnight.

-Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out about 2 inches larger than your quiche plate's diameter. Fold the dough and carefully place it in your quiche plate. Cut the excess dough and use a fork to prick the bottom of the plate. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate it until the filling is ready.

For the filling, you will need

-6 eggs

-1 cup of heavy cream (15% to 35%)

-1 cup of evaporated milk (Carnation milk)

-1.5 cups of Gruyère cheese (cheaper at Costco!)

-1/2 cup of mozzarella or mild cheddar cheese

-1/2 cup of chopped bacon or pancetta, cooked. Or any meat of your choice, really but then it won't be called "Quiche Lorraine", which calls for bacon. 

-1 large onion, sliced & caramelized (Cook them on medium low heat for about 30 minutes, untilt hey are extra soft and sweet)

-1/2 cup of cooked spinach (sauté the spinach with chopped garlic, butter, salt and pepper)

-Spices of your choice. I use salt, pepper and garlic powder.

SO!

-Preheat the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

-In a large bowl, mix the eggs, cream, evaporated milk and spices. Add the cheese and mix well. 

-Take the quiche out of the fridge and remove the saran wrap. Put the bacon, onions and spinach at the bottom of it and using a ladle, add the egg mixture. Make sure to spread it well so that the cheese doesn't end up in one specific spot.

-Cook for 45 minutes to an hour or until the top is slightly browned. 

-Let cool for 15 minutes before eating!

Enjoy!!

xox

Sass

P.S. You can remix this quiche! I've made it vegetarian, with chicken and even with salmon!