Quiche Lorraine, a main-dish pie, is traditionally made of cream, eggs, and bacon. Many cooks add cheese to these ingredients. This specialty takes its name from the area in northeastern France called Lorraine, which is famous for its bacon.
INGREDIENTS:
4 eggs
1 c. whipping cream
1/4 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 9-inch deep-dish unbaked pie shell (shell can be bought frozen in a store)
4 to 6 oz. Swiss cheese, thinly sliced or grated (1 to 1 1/2 c. when grated)
8 oz. bacon*, lightly browned and crumbled
*To lower the fat content of this dish, cut the amount of bacon in half. Also look for lean varieties or use turkey bacon. To make this a vegetarian dish, substitute 1 fresh tomato, chopped, for the bacon.
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg with an eggbeater or a whisk.
3. With a fork, prick sides and bottom of unbaked pie shell about every half inch. (This will keep pie shell from shrinking or bubbling while it is baking.)
4. Make 2 or 3 layers of alternating cheese and bacon bits in bottom of pie shell. Pour egg-and-cream mixture over this.
5. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until quiche is golden brown and puffy.
6. Let cool a few minutes and slice into serving pieces. Refrigerate leftovers and reheat or eat cold the next day.
Preparation and cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves 4 to 5
