My mother discovered this recipe years ago in a German magazine, and it quickly became a family favorite. The dough is made with a splash of white wine, inspired by the savory tarts of Alsace, which gives it a delicate, flavorful base that pairs beautifully with the rich leek and bacon filling. Over time, I’ve added a few simple tricks to make sure the crust bakes up crisp and never soggy.
Ingredients:
For the dough (pâte brisée):
- 100 g butter
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons white wine
- 2 leeks, well sautéed and drained
- 150 g bacon, cooked crisp
- 150–180 g Gruyère or Emmental, grated
- 200 g sour cream + 100 ml milk or cream
- 4 eggs
- 1 egg white
- Salt, pepper, nutmeg
Instructions:
Dough:
Quickly work together the butter, flour, salt, and white wine until a dough just comes together. Start with the 3 tbsp wine. If dough won’t come together, add 1 tbsp ice-cold water. Stop as soon as it forms a dough.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes minimum.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and line a greased 26 cm tart pan or shallow springform (metal is best). Press dough slightly up the sides to avoid excess thickness. Prick the bottom several times with a fork and chill again for about15 minutes.
Pre-bake the crust in a preheated oven at 375°F for about 20 minutes until lightly golden. First 15 minutes with weights, last 5 minutes without. This sets the crust before the wet filling goes in. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Brush the warm crust with egg white and return to oven 1–2 minutes. Sprinkle 1–2 tbsp grated Parmesan or Gruyère on the bottom to seal the crust for it not to get soggy.
Filling:
Clean the leeks thoroughly and slice them into thin rings.
Dice the bacon and fry it in a pan until crispy. Add the leek rings and sauté in the bacon fat for 7–8 minutes until very soft but not browned.
Grate the cheese.
In a bowl, combine the leeks, bacon, and cheese. Let cool completely. Spread the mixture evenly over the pre-baked crust.
In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk and eggs. Season with salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. Pour the mixture evenly over the filling.
Bake the quiche in a preheated oven to start baking at 400°F for about 10 - 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F to finish baking for another 25 - 30 minutes until the edges are set and puffed and the center has a slight wobble. Internal temp should be 165–170°F.