Officially, quiche Lorraine is prepared with bacon. Except when the Comtois neighbors get involved and invite a local (and very tender) charcuterie into the kitchen…
Although served since the 16th century, quiche Lorraine still fuels many disagreements at the table. At the origin of all savory tarts, this essential specialty from the north-east of France has seen its recipe evolve widely over time. In its infancy, it was not based on shortcrust or puff pastry (like today), but on bread dough. The migaine, his liquid device, was simply a mixture of beaten eggs and heavy cream. She never had milk, much less starch, to firm her up. The people of Lorraine said, on the contrary, that she absolutely had to remain “chevelotte”, that is to say, just trembling.
And what do we put inside? Never, oh never, cheese (we insist!), only bacon, or even half-salted smoked bacon cut into matchsticks, it’s even better. Officially, at least. Because it sometimes happens that Comtois rivals put in their little grain of salt to include an emblematic charcuterie of the region that makes them proud: the Montbéliard sausage! Protected by an IGP, it reveals a texture that is both firm and melting in the mouth while exuding woody aromas, inherited from slow smoking with local resinous sawdust. A variation so generous that even people from Metz, like Marjoramended up falling for her…
If you have no objection to shaking up traditions (a little), then try his version. If you have time on your hands, prepare your homemade pie crust by working together 260 g of flour, 50 g of olive oil, 120 g of water and a pinch of salt until you obtain a nice ball. Then lower it with a rolling pin and line your mold. Then immerse 4 Montbéliard sausages in a pan of boiling water and let them cook for 20 minutes. Drain them, then cut them into slices which you will distribute on your tart base.
Then whisk 3 eggs with 200 ml of milk, 200 ml of liquid cream and pepper, then pour the mixture obtained over the sausages. Sprinkle a little grated Gruyere cheese if you want a nicely browned finish and bake for 40 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C. Not sure that the people of Lorraine adhere to the many breaches of protocol… but we love it!
