Quiche lovers will recognize this dish as a close adaptation of the famous Quiche Lorraine. (And if you’re not a quiche lover yet, try this one and get on board. Quiche can’t help it that it was trendy – and rendered ridiculous – in the 80’s. And it shouldn’t be blamed for the mistakes people have made with it, tossing in all kinds of extraneous ingredients and, worst of all, vegetables. I do love vegetables but their high moisture content utterly ruins the texture of quiche.)
I’ve even omitted the onions from the traditional recipe, so there’s nothing at all to mar the silky smoothness of the filling – not even the crispy bites of pancetta because they line the bottom of the quiche, hugging the crust while the creamy custard floats on top.
Pancetta adds great salty, porky flavor, replacing the bacon in the original. I always prefer pancetta to bacon when it’s baked into a dish, because bacon turns limp and a little slimy when it’s mixed in with other ingredients.
For the cheese, Gruyere is traditional, but I often use a milder Swiss such as Jarlsberg or Emmenthal. Use whatever you like.
The crust is made with the same pie crust dough I use for dessert pies. You’ll use half the recipe here, but I recommend making the full recipe, and wrapping and freezing the other half for your next quiche or 1-crust pie.
The crust bakes empty for a while before you add the filling (known as “blind baking”) – this helps the bottom of the crust to firm up so it doesn’t get soggy when you add the custard. Blind baking can be a little tricky. This dough is very buttery, tender and flaky, which means it’s prone to shrinking. Follow the steps in the recipe closely, make sure to fill the crust all the way to the top with pie weights or dried beans, and don’t worry if despite your efforts the crust shrinks a little and forms an uneven edge. I started out with a beautifully fluted edge before I blind-baked the crust for these photos, and you can see that the finished result looks somewhat…rustic.
I’d rather have a crust that tastes delicious than one that looks perfect, and those two things can be mutually exclusive, since it takes a firm crust (one with more flour and a drier texture) to keep a perfect shape.
Making this ahead, and what to do with leftovers:
- The dough for the crust can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to a couple of days, or frozen. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the fridge.
- Quiche tastes just as good at room temperature as it does hot from the oven. If you need to make this a little bit ahead, let it sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours before serving.
- Reheat leftovers in the oven at 300 degrees for the best results; the microwave will make the crust soggy. Leftovers will keep for 2 to 3 days.
Quiche (Almost) Lorraine (Quiche with Pancetta and Swiss)
To make the custard less rich, you may substitute whole milk for some or all of the heavy cream.
Ingredients
- Half recipe of pie crust dough (1 disk)
- 4 ounces diced pancetta
- 3 ounces Swiss cheese (such as Jarlsberg, Emmenthal or Gruyere), shredded
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1/8 teaspoon Morton’s)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
- Step 1 Make and chill the pie crust dough.
- Step 2 Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Step 3 Put a medium-sized skillet over medium-low heat and immediately add the diced pancetta to the cold pan. Once the pancetta has heated up and started to render some fat into the skillet, raise the heat to medium. Cook the pancetta, stirring occasionally, until it’s golden and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove it to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Step 4 While the pancetta cooks, roll out the pie dough and drape it carefully into a 9-inch pie plate, making sure not to stretch the dough. Flute the edge decoratively if desired. Prick the dough with a fork all over the bottom and sides to make vents, which will keep the dough from puffing up during baking. Line the dough with a piece of foil, pressing the foil firmly against the dough to wedge it up against the side of the pie plate. Fill the pie plate with pie weights or beans, making sure to use enough to completely fill the dish.
- Step 5 Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, and remove the foil and weights. Prick the dough with the fork again to make sure it’s well vented. Sprinkle half the cheese evenly across the bottom of the dough. Bake for 10 more minutes.
- Step 6 Measure the heavy cream into a large liquid measuring cup. Add the eggs, yolk, and spices and whisk to combine.
- Step 7 After the 10-minute bake, remove the dish from the oven. Sprinkle the pancetta evenly across the bottom of the crust. Carefully pour in the egg mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Step 8 Bake the quiche for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is puffed and golden. Transfer the quiche to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
