Quiches are made with a custard filling—eggs and milk or cream—and loaded with cheeses or meat or vegetables to create an elegant main dish. They are simple to make, at least no more difficult than making a pie.

A Quiche Lorraine is the classic bacon and Swiss cheese filling. It originated in the Lorraine region of what is now northeastern France. Originally it had no cheese, simply custard flavored with bacon. Today, most Quiche Lorraine recipes call for just a touch of nutmeg. The recipe that follows is a little less rich than many because it uses milk instead of cream in the filling.

Classic Quiche Lorraine Recipe

Ingredients

1 single crust pie shell
6 large slices of bacon, about 6 ounces
4 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
dash of pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese, about 6 ounces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

1. Bake the pie shell at 450 degrees for about ten minutes or until it just starts to turn brown on the edges. Do not prick the pie shell with a fork. It will help the pie shell keep its shape during baking if you line the shell with aluminum foil and then place beans, rice, or pie shell weights in the shell to hold the crust down.
2. While the pie shell is baking, cook the bacon in the microwave oven until crisp. Cut the bacon into small chunks.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs and flour together. Add the other ingredients, including the bacon. Pour the mixture into the hot pie shell.
4. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If the shell starts to brown too quickly, cover the edges with aluminum foil.