Alfred Hitchcock's Quiche Lorraine © 1953

Make a paste as follows: Sift 1 1/2 cups pastry flour with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Work into with the finger tips 1 bar of salt butter (1/4 lb). Moisten with 4 tablespoonfuls of ice water to hold it together. Make a smooth ball of it, wrap in waxed paper and place in refrigerator for half an hour or so before rolling it out on a lightly floured board. Line a large tart or pie tin with it, trim the edges and crimp them. Prick the surface with a fork and place in refrigerator while you prepare the following ingredients. (Set your oven at 450º and light it.)

Grate Swiss cheese until you have one cup of it. Fry a dozen strips of bacon until crisp, but don't overcook it. Break or cut into small pieces.

Break four whole eggs into a bowl and add them to 2 cups of cream (thick or thin), a pinch of nutmeg, a pinch of sugar, three quarters teaspoon of salt, a big pinch of cayenne pepper and plenty of ground pepper. Beat with rotary beater just long enough to mix thoroughly.

Now rub a little soft butter over the surface of the pastry and sprinkle the bacon over the bottom, sprinkle the cheese over the bacon and pour the egg mixture over all. Place in preheated oven and bake 10 to 15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 300º and continue cooking until an inserted knife comes out clean, showing the custard has set (about 25 to 30 minutes). If it is not a light golden brown on top, lace under a hot grill for a second before serving piping hot.

*To save time, you can bypass making the crust from scratch and purchase a premade crust, brushing it with melted butter.

Stars in the Kitchen