Scalloped Potato Quiche Lorraine
I’ve decided that quiche just isn’t carb-y enough.
Sure, there’s the buttery, flaky, homemade pie crust. But I want MORE.
I want a carbolicious quiche that’s for special occasions only. Easter, Mother’s Day, birthday brunches, that sorta thing.
So I went and added scalloped potatoes to a classic quiche lorraine. And DAMN, was it tasty as hell.
The thing about this recipe is that it’s not hard, it just takes patience. The pie crust is made from scratch, arranging the potatoes is a delicate art, and this bakes slowly for about 50 minutes. But when all is said and done?
YUM.
The effort is totally worth it.
You start by making a homemade pie crust, which as you know is a simple combination of butter, flour, a pinch of salt + sugar, and cold water. The dough takes about 40 minutes to firm up in the refrigerator, but you can make this two or three days in advance for planning ease, so take your pick. Whenever you’re ready, roll the dough out into a thin, circular sheet, then mold to an amply greased pie dish. Next cover the dough with parchment paper, fill with pie weights and/or dry beans, then bake for 10 minutes until the it just begins to set.
This sounds a bit complicated, I know. But it’s not as bad as it seems, so keep reading!
While the crust cooks, peel the potatoes until they are long and skinny, then slice through a food processor into medallions. Once the crust is cool, arrange the potatoes inside in a pretty, circular design, staying as patient as possible while you do. When you’re pleased with how the potatoes look (patience!), pour over with a mixture of eggs, half & half, diced bacon, shallots, and gruyere cheese. This mixture is clearly the “quiche lorraine” part of the recipe, so if it sounds familiar, it is. And once you’ve made it this far, that’s it! Throw it in the oven and bake.
What’s great about this quiche is that it has an unexpected twist while still remaining classic. The luscious bacon bits — plus shallots sautéed in bacon, the recipe tells you how — is DELICIOUS. So savory, so salty, so damn satisfying. If you want to go heavy on the gruyere, I say have at it. And throwing a bit of thyme on top is crucial, so don’t skip it. That finishing herbaceous touch rounds this out just right.
And the potatoes? They cook up mouth-wateringly tender, taking this quiche from basic to boss. Not to mention, it’s totally filling!
Just a tiny sliver + 8 mimosas is all you need. Xo
Scalloped Potato Quiche Lorraine
Ingredients:
- CRUST:
- 1/2 cup Salted Butter
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
- pinch of salt
- pinch of sugar
- 1/3 cup cold water (approx.)
- FILLING:
- 2 lbs Idaho potatoes
- 6 oz applewood smoked bacon (about 6 – 7 slices)
- 3 shallots, sliced thin
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 1/2 cup shredded gruyere (or more if you’d like!)
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- a few pinches salt & pepper
- fresh thyme to garnish
- shortening to grease
- parchment paper for lining
Directions:
- Begin by preparing the dough. Using a handheld cheese grater grate the butter into a small bowl, then freeze for 10 minutes. While the butter freezes, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- When ready, whisk the cold grated butter into the flour mixture until a mealy texture takes hold, then slowly begin adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough takes shape. Next, gather the dough in a ball and transfer to a lightly floured work surface before shaping into a flattened round. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap, then refrigerate for 45 minutes until the dough is firm and cold.
- Meanwhile, Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
- Line the bacon in a cast iron skillet, then bake on oven middle rack for about 10 minutes until beginning to crisp, but not over cooked. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool/drain, then warm the skillet’s leftover bacon fat over a medium flame. Add the shallots and saute until lightly caramelized, about 8 – 10 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl to cool/drain.
- On a cutting board, chop the bacon into bits.
- Raise oven temperature to 400F. Amply grease a 10″ pie dish with shortening.
- When the dough is ready, with a floured rolling-pin roll out the chilled dough into a 1/8″ thick sheet, then transfer to pie dish — Use a scissor to cut off any excess, then mold the dough to the dish as tightly as possible. Pierce crust with a fork several times on the bottom and along the sides of the dough, then line with parchment paper. Fill with pie weights or dry beans, then bake for 10 minutes until just beginning to brown. Remove from oven — Reduce oven heat back to 350F.
- While the crust cooks, thoroughly peel potatoes before slicing in food processor.
- After the crust has gently cooled, layer the potatoes in a circular design until the cavity is about 75% filled. Next, in a mixing bowl combine the egg, egg yolk, half & half, nutmeg, and salt & pepper until well mixed. Stir in the bacon, shallots, and gruyere, then evenly pour this mixture over the potatoes. Bake on oven middle rack for 45 – 50 minutes until the eggs are set and the crust is fully cooked. Cool completely, then garnish with thyme, slice & eat!
