Quiche Lorraine from La Boule d'Or
added 03/07/08
La Boule d’Or (The Golden Ball) is a Paris bistro located close to the outdoor markets. My parents were invited there as guests in the summer of 1964. At that time it was a Michelin two-star restaurant. Dad wrote in a letter to his parents, “Three stars is the highest, and there are only 11 of them in the entire Kingdom of France!” Mom wrote, “I remember the cucumbers in cream—delicious!”
Serves 6
Pastry:
1 cup flour
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup butter
Pinch of salt
1 Tbs. water
Filling:
1/2 pound bacon
1/2 pound (1 1/4 cups) diced Gruyère cheese
8 egg yolks
2 cups cream
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Pastry
Preheat oven to 425° F.
Measure the flour onto a pastry board. Make a well in the center, and in the well put the egg yolk, butter, salt, and water. Mix center ingredients to a smooth paste, then quickly work in flour to make a soft dough. Chill for 30 minutes, then roll out thinly on a floured board. Line a 9-inch pie plate (quiche dish if you have one) with the dough, trim the edge, and crimp it. Cover the pastry with waxed paper, partially fill it with rice or beans, and bake in the hot oven for 8 minutes. Discard the rice or beans and paper and bake for 3 minutes longer.
Tart
Reduce the oven temperature to 350° F.
Cook the bacon in a skillet until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Crumble and sprinkle it into the partially baked pastry shell. Add the diced Gruyère cheese.
Combine the egg yolks, cream, salt, dry mustard, and pepper. Pour the mixture into the pastry shell and bake for 45 minutes. Serve hot or warm.
Cook’s Note:
A nice addition is 1 medium onion, very thinly sliced, sautéed in a bit of bacon fat until deeply golden, and placed on top of the bacon prior to adding the cheese.
—Adapted from A Treasury of Great Recipes, by Vincent & Mary Price
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