The quiche has always been one of those fascinating kitchen creations that has an exotic appeal with a sprinkling of humility. I’m not sure whether it’s the many variations of the dish, its humble beginnings in Germany and France, its popularity after World War II, or the sheer simplicity of the dish. Just can’t seem to put my finger on it…

 

“Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche”— A book by Bruce Feirstein; a bestseller satirizing stereotypes of masculinity

The Fact:  Why is the Quiche Lorraine named so? It is believed that Quiche Lorraine is a recipe traditionally from Lorraine, France, near the border with Germany. In reality, the classic Quiche originated in Lothringen, Germany, a region initially under German rule; however, it was renamed Lorraine when it came under French control. In fact, the word ‘quiche’ is derived from the German word for cake, ‘kuchen.’

The Inspiration: My fascination with the “quiche” began when I was 16 and was introduced to a quaint little French café that opened up next to the college I went to. A little late, I agree, but quiche was just not a regular in my house. I still remember spotting the quiche as a cute little something with pretty, wavy edges, and beautiful, golden brown bacon bits sprinkled over it… I just had to give it a try! And with that introduction, began my love affair with quiches and tarts and pies and short crust pastries, and the eagerness to master them all. To me, this dish is really not so much about the taste; it’s about the beauty in its simplicity—the simplicity in the ingredients, the preparation and the result.

The Ingredients

This dish makes 6 – 8 servings.

Pie Crust or Short-Crust Pastry

• 1¼ cup (175 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup butter (115 g or ¼ lb) frozen or chilled butter
• ¼ to ½ cup (60 – 120 ml) cold water
• ½ teaspoon salt

Quiche Filling

• 3 large potatoes; grated, using a regular cheese grater

• 2 cups of diced, chopped or minced sausages
• 1 cup of chopped bacon

For a vegetarian/vegan quiche, simply drop the sausages and bacon or then, add any other ingredient you like.

• ½ cup of diced bell peppers (Use a combination of yellow and red for a pretty quiche)
• 1 cup diced mushrooms
• About 15 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped (I love garlic and usually use a lot of it.)

• 3 tablespoons butter
• Freshly ground pepper
• Salt to taste

Egg Custard

• 3 large or 4 small eggs
• 2/3^rd cup milk
• A pinch of salt for each egg

The Method

Making the Short-Crust Pastry or Quiche Crust

• Click here to read up on how to make the perfect short-crust pastry, pie crust or quiche crust.

Making the Filling

• Heat a skillet or frying pan on medium heat. Add the butter to the pan and allow it to simmer lightly. Do not burn the butter or allow it to turn brown.
• Toss in the finely chopped garlic and allow it to brown slightly.

• Add the bacon and let it release some lovely flavor into the pan as the fat melts. Allow the bacon to brown.

• If you haven’t already grated the potatoes, now’s the time to do it. Remember to sprinkle a few pinches of salt over the grated potatoes. Give it a toss. Keep it aside.
• Add the mushrooms and let them cook in the butter and fat, while absorbing the flavours in the pan. Mushrooms also release a lot of water. Allow the water to dry up as much as possible.
• Now, toss in the chopped/minced sausages and the shredded potatoes.
• After about 2 minutes, add the diced bell peppers.
• Sautee the ingredients for a few minutes, or until all the water has dried up.
• Season the mixture with salt, freshly ground pepper, and a sprinkling of sugar. You could even add a soup cube for more taste, but if you do, remember to adjust the salt.
• Take the skillet off the heat and allow the mixture to cool down a little

For a vegetarian/vegan quiche, simply drop the sausages and bacon or then, add any other ingredient you like.

Making the egg custard

• Whisk the eggs, the milk and the salt together. You’re done.

Assembling the quiche

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Take the ready pie base. Sprinkle the sausage filling into it. Pour the egg custard over the filling.

• Sprinkle a little shredded cheese over it. This is completely optional 🙂
• Bake for about 40-50 minutes, until the top is golden and the egg custard is set.

Serve hot and enjoy! You can refrigerate leftovers for later as well.

Bon appétit!