#EggCentric Recipe
The ubiquitous “Quiche” has wormed its way into the English language as a generic type of egg and cheese filling, which is baked in a pastry case, a kind of flan or tart as we used to call them when I was growing up, which is a shame for the authentic “Quiche Lorraine” as well as for our own home-grown flans and tarts, as each one is quintessential to its roots and relies on local ingredients and the “terroir” of the region, especially in the case of the Quiche Lorraine. And so today’s recipe for Gluten Free Crustless Quiche Lorraine, albeit sans pastry, harks back to the quiches’ humble origins in the North East of France.
Before I talk about my recipe, let’s look at the quiche Lorraine; originating from Lorraine, the dish is a simple savoury egg custard made with cream and local smoked bacon (lardons). This rich egg custard is baked in a pastry case and does NOT contain any cheese in it, which is a common mistake with most cooks! The Lorraine region is known for its smoked bacon and that should be the only culinary protagonist in this simple dish. Tomatoes, onions, garlic and any other ingredients are also a “no-no”, and the tart should be a wobbly, creamy and golden creation that is studded with pink bacon, that is baked in a crumbly, buttery pastry case.
Image: Le Journal des Femmes
My recipe for Gluten Free Crustless Quiche Lorraine veers away from the above criteria, insofar as it is crustless, as in NO pastry case and I had to add a tomato, as I have lots in the garden at the moment! A crustless quiche, tart or flan should be slightly firmer than one that is baked with pastry, as it needs to be cut into slices and doesn’t have the pastry base to “support” it – so, if you think the amount of liquids I have added is on the scant side, then that’s the reason why. Serve this crustless quiche warm or cold, with salad, chips or steamed seasonal greens for a healthy, gluten-free and lower fat family supper – it’s also FABULOUS for picnics and for the school or office lunch box too.
This recipe is NUMBER three in my ongoing collaboration with EggCentric Ambassadorship for British Lion Eggs and The British Egg Information Service; as an eggy ambassador I have been asked to share different recipes that use eggs, but that are simple to prepare and cook, and today’s recipe is VERY easy to make and only uses three main ingredients, of which eggs are one. I will share my other two EggCentric recipes below, along with today’s recipe for Gluten Free Crustless Quiche Lorraine, but, if you need any more eggy recipe ideas, then why not pop over to the EggCentric website here: Egg Recipes. Karen
Disclaimer: Commissioned work with British Egg Industry Council.
Gluten Free Crustless Quiche Lorraine
Print recipe
| Serves | 6 |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 45 minutes |
| Allergy | Egg, Milk |
| Dietary | Gluten Free, Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter |
| Region | French |
| By author | Karen Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 200g smoked (bacon) lardons
- 4 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
- 200mls double cream (or creme fraiche)
- 1 large tomato, sliced thinly
- chopped fresh chives (to serve)
- salt and pepper to taste
Note
This Gluten Free Crustless Quiche Lorraine has all the taste of an authentic Quiche Lorraine, but without the pastry, for gluten free diners and weight watchers!
Directions
| Step 1 | Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6 and lightly butter a round baking dish or tin. |
| Step 2 | Fry the lardons in a pan, with no extra oil, until they are crispy and cooked. Drain them and set them to one side. |
| Step 3 | Beat the eggs and egg yolks, then add the cream and beat together. Season to taste with salt and pepper, remembering that the the bacon will be salty and then pour the mixture into the prepared dish or tin. |
| Step 4 | Scatter the bacon lardons over the top, gently pushing them down into the egg and cream mixture. Then arrange the sliced tomatoes on top and bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the quiche has set and is puffed up and golden brown with a slight wobble still. |
| Step 5 | Remove the quiche from the oven and allow to settle and cool slightly before scattering the chopped chives over the top and then cutting into wedges to serve. This style of quiche firms up when it is cold and is ideal for picnics and lunch boxes. |
My other EggCentric Recipes:
Coddled Eggs with Smoked Salmon & Dill
Anybody remember this?!!!
Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche, by American Bruce Feirstein, was a bestselling tongue-in-cheek book satirisingstereotypes of masculinity, published in 1982.
It popularised the term quiche-eater, referring to a man who is a dilettante, a trend-chaser, an over-anxious conformist to fashionable forms of lifestyle, and socially correct behaviours and opinions, one who eschews (or merely lacks) the traditional masculine virtue of tough self-assurance. A ‘traditional’ male might enjoy the ironically not so exotic egg-and-bacon pie if his wife served it to him; a quiche-eater, or Sensitive New Age Guy is alleged to make the dish himself, call it by its French name quiche, and serve it to his female life partner to demonstrate his empathy with the Women’s Movement. Presumably, he would also wash up afterwards. These are also implied examples of ‘women’s work‘, and an attempt to taint the male character by association with such knowledge and activities.
The book’s humour derives from the fears and confusion of contemporary 1980s middle-class men about how they ought to behave, after a decade of various forms of feminist critique on traditional male roles and beliefs.
The book was on the New York Times Best Seller list for 55 weeks, and sold over 1.6 million copies. An Australian adaptation by Alex Buzo was published later that year.
Suzanne Cross says
Hello, do you have the calorie count for you gluten free crustlrss quiche Lorraine,
Thank you
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hello, it is 350 calories per slice, which is 1/4 of the quiche. Karen
Dom says
NOW! Put this on a plane and send it to me NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Utterly gorgeous.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Dom! A classic without the crust, but still bags of eggy flavour!
karen Crossan says
I just love eggs too and always from my local farm never the supermarket! I like the sound of this as its less calories, thank you for trying.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Karen, I love quiches and tarts, and the no pastry version is just as good too!
karen Crossan says
I just love eggs too and always from my local farm never the supermarket! I like the sound of this as its less calories, thank you for sharing.
Karen Burns-Booth says
🙂
Lindsay says
I love the white and blue plates! May I ask where those are from?
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thank you – they are Falcon ware enamel plates and I bought them in Boyes in Malton in North Yorkshire.