Celebrate National Quiche Lorraine Day with this Southern twist: Quiche Lurleen

According to my dog-eared copy of "The Food Lover's Companion," quiche originated in the Alsace-Lorraine region in northeastern France. 

"The most notable of these savory pies is quiche Lorraine, which has crisp bacon bits (and sometimes gruyere cheese) added to the custard filling," according to author Sharon Tyler Herbst. 

National Quiche Lorraine day is May 20. Since we specialize in Southern food here at Southern Kitchen, we present to you "Quiche Lurleen," a tongue-in-cheek riff on the classic French creation.

We’ve added cooked collards and a more neutral blend of Jack and Parmesan cheeses. The bacon is still there, of course. In fact, we've added more. 

You can use a store-bought pie crust instead of making one from scratch, but the difference in homemade is noticeable. 

Serves: 6 to 8

Hands On Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours and 40 minutes

Ingredients

Crust

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Filling

1 cup heavy cream

2 large eggs, plus two large egg yolks

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup cooked collard greens, drained and chopped

8 strips applewood-smoked bacon, cooked and chopped

Instructions

To make the crust: Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with nonstick oil spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Sift in the baking powder and whisk well to ensure there are no lumps.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. Add the flour mixture and knead until the dough just comes together.

Improvise in the kitchen:How to free yourself from the confines of recipes

Remove dough from the bowl and knead on a very lightly floured work surface until smooth, about 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until slightly firm, but not hard, 15 to 20 minutes.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a disc just larger than the circumference of the prepared pie plate. Line the pan with dough and crimp or trim the edges as desired. Use a fork to poke holes in the bottom of the dough.

Cover the dough with aluminum foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is lightly golden and no longer raw, 30 to 40 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights, and place the pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet.

To make the filling: In a second large bowl, whisk together the cream, eggs, yolks, salt and pepper. Add the cheeses, collards and bacon, and stir to combine. Pour into the par-baked crust.

Spray a piece of aluminum foil with nonstick oil spray and lightly cover the quiche. Bake until the filling is set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Morning rush:Adaptable frittatas, overnight oats and more make-ahead breakfast ideas

Mackensy Lunsford is the food and culture storyteller for USA TODAY Network's South region and the editor of Southern Kitchen.

Sign up for my newsletter here.

Reach me: mlunsford@southernkitchen.com