Quiche, too

Bonus: 3 favorite quiche recipes

As for the name, which seems to come from the Lorraine dialect, it bears some resemblance to the Alsatian word we translate as "kiss". The Cake (quiche) and the Kiss (küssen or kûchen), are they each, one like the other, both “delicacies”? - J. Boës, L’Art Culinaire, 15 March, 1904

Roasted Cherry Tomato, Feta, Arugula, Pine Nut Quiches

The French are nothing if not traditional, in every aspect of their lives, but none more so than where their table is concerned. They rarely stray from the classics. 

I scanned so many cooking columns in newspapers and magazines from the last century since the quiche had become known and then popular, poured through cookbooks right into the 1970s and 80s and was hard put to find a recipe for any other quiche than the Quiche Lorraine. Once or twice a quiche aux moules (made with mussels) or a quiche aux langoustines (crayfish) appeared and I did discover a couple of recipes for a fausse quiche - a fake quiche - which was made with potatoes. Of course, the odd cookbook or food column might have included simple variations on the classic Lorraine, adding a quiche au fromage (cheese) or jambon (ham), but that’s as daring as the French will get until today. Well, not quite.

A quiche is a quiche is a quiche Lorraine… and all variations on the quiche are tarts. But seriously, google “recettes quiche” in French and you’ll scroll through dozens upon dozens of recipes for Quiche Lorraine, only intermittently interrupted by quiches - savory tarts - made with chicken and tomatoes, asparagus, spinach, salmon and broccoli, mushrooms and leeks, or something a bit more creative. 

But it is worth straying from tradition. As most of my readers and fellow cooks (and eaters) know, the base quiche - crust and cream and egg filling - is the perfect neutral backdrop for a never-ending variety of ingredients, meats, cheeses, vegetables, herbs and greens… 

As an added bonus to my last post on the quiche Lorraine, I have decided to share 3 of my very favorite quiche recipes. Do feel free to share your own favorite combinations of ingredients for a quiche in a comment at the end of this post!

For a pâte brisée or a shortcrust pastry dough, follow the directions on the Quiche Lorraine post using these quantities of ingredients:

For an 8- or 9-inch (20 - 23 cm) quiche or tart:

1 cup + 1 tablespoons (150 grams) flour

½ teaspoon salt

Big pinch sugar

8 tablespoons (120 grams) unsalted butter

4 - 4 ½ tablespoons cold water

For a 10-inch (25 cm) quiche or tart:

1 ¾ cups (245 grams) flour

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

12 ½ tablespoons (180 grams) unsalted butter

6 tablespoons cold water

To make your own puff pastry, follow the directions on the Pâte Feuillitée or Puff Pastry post.

Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Quiche

This mushroom and caramelized onion quiche is what I consider a truly French traditional country quiche.

Pre-baked 10-inch (25 cm) shortcrust pastry shell

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and trimmed

11 - 14 ounces (300 to 400 grams) white mushrooms

2 – 3 tablespoons (30 – 45 grams) butter for sautéing

½ teaspoon sugar, optional

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

About 1 cup grated gruyère, emmenthal or a full flavored, nutty hard cheese

5 large eggs

1 ½ cups (350 ml) mixture of light or heavy cream and whole milk

¾ teaspoon salt

Generous grinding of black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 – 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

½ to 1 tablespoon (8 - 15 grams) unsalted butter

Prepare and pre-bake a 10-inch (25 cm) shortcrust pastry shell: follow the directions on the Quiche post for preparing and pre-baking the short crust pastry dough.

Have the oven preheated to 375°F (190°C).

Halve the onions and slice into thin strips or chop into large dice. Clean, trim, and slice the mushrooms and reserve separately from the onion slices.

Heat a skillet, melt about a tablespoon of butter and sauté the onions over medium-low to medium heat, stirring often, until golden and tender. If you like, add ½ teaspoon of sugar to the onions to help the caramelization process.

Scrape the caramelized onions onto a plate or bowl and add another tablespoon butter to the skillet. When the butter is melted, add half the mushrooms, salt and pepper, then, stirring often, cook until sautéed and tender. Remove from the skillet and repeat with the rest of the butter and mushrooms.

Spread the caramelized onions in the pre-baked shell then cover with the mushrooms. Cover evenly with the grated gruyère, emmental or Swiss cheese.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Whisk in the cream and milk along with the salt, pepper and nutmeg until well combined. Pour this over the vegetables in the tart shell.

Sprinkle with as much or as little of the grated Parmesan as you like, dot with small bits of butter then bake for about 40 minutes or until slightly puffed, a deep golden and set.

Zucchini Ricotta Tart with Feta & Mint

The nutty ricotta, tangy feta, and cool mint make this vegetable tart an exciting change from other vegetable quiches.

Pre-baked 9-inch (23 cm) shortcrust pastry shell

2 medium zucchini

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

7 ounces (200 grams) ricotta

2 large eggs

7 ounces (200 grams) feta cheese

A few branches of mint (about 2 tablespoons or so chopped leaves)

Prepare and pre-bake a 9-inch (23 cm) shortcrust pastryshell:follow the directions on the Quiche post for preparing and pre-baking the short crust pastry dough.

Lower oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).

Wash and trim the zucchini. Slice into ¼-inch coins. Sauté the zucchini, one layer at a time, in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Lightly brown each batch on one side, flip the slices, salt and pepper and continue cooking for a few minutes until lightly browned on the bottom and the zucchini is tender. Continue until all of the zucchini is golden and tender. Allow to drain on paper towels.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the ricotta using a whisk or a wooden spoon until smooth.

Add the eggs and continue whisking or beating until well blended and smooth.

Chop the feta until small cubes and add to the bowl, beating in until part of the feta has dissolved into the mixture and is creamy; you can leave some of the feta in small chunks.

Finely chop or scissor cut the mint in a glass. Add to the cheese mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

Line the bottom of the pre-baked shortcrust pastry shell with about half or a bit less of the zucchini slices. Pour the ricotta, feta, mint mixture in the shell and spread evenly. Place the rest of the zucchini slices all over the top of the cheese mixture, slightly overlapping.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 – 40 minutes. The filling should be slightly puffed up and firm to the touch and golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, allowing the tart to settle.

Roasted Cherry Tomato, Feta, Arugula, Pine Nut Quiches

Puff pastry shells make these super flavorful individual quiches even more spectacular. You can, if you prefer, use a regular shortcrust pastry for this. By adjusting quantities, you can make either 6 or 12 individual quiches or one large. (*see note)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed (not chopped or minced)

Cherry tomatoes (2 or 3 per quiche)

½ cup (125 ml) heavy cream, light cream or part cream/part milk (1 cup / 250 ml for 12

individual quiches)

2 large eggs (3 large eggs for 12 individual quiches)

Dash nutmeg

Handful of arugula, coarsely chopped

3 ½ oz (100 grams) feta cheese, coarsely crumbled or chopped (double for 12 individual quiches)

Handful pine nuts

*note: For 6 - 4 ½-inch (11-cm) wide individual quiches, you’ll need shortcrust pastry dough for a 10-inch (25 cm) quiche -or- ½ pound (250 grams) puff pastry dough. For 12 individual quiches you’ll need to double the shortcrust pastry dough -or- 1 pound (500 grams) puff pastry dough.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Stir together the olive oil with the balsamic vinegar in a glass baking dish or pie plate. Season with a little salt and pepper and add the peeled and crushed garlic cloves. Toss the cherry tomatoes into the flavored oil and roast for about 20 minutes or until the skins are split and shriveled and the tomatoes start to show signs of roasting (a bit golden). Remove from the oven and allow to cool while preparing the rest.

Place 4 ½-inch (11-cm) wide individual quiche tins on a baking sheet. Make sure to select the correct quantity of dough, eggs, and cream for the number of individual quiches - either 6 or 12 - that you choose to make.

Roll out the dough on a floured work surface to a thickness of between 1/8-inch to just under ¼-inch (3 - 5 mm) and line the tins, gently lifting in and pressing down the dough. Trim the edges. Refrigerate the dough-lined tins until ready to fill and bake. This can also be done ahead of time.

Measure out the cream or cream/milk in a large measuring cup then whisk in the eggs until well blended. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg. Doing this in a measuring cup or glass with a spout or pouring lip is ideal for pouring into individual or mini quiche/tartlet tins avoiding a mess.

Sprinkle a layer of chopped arugula then chopped or crumbled feta into each of the tartlet shells. Not too much as each is an overpowering flavor. Snuggle 2 or 3 roasted cherry tomatoes into the rocket and feta in each shell.

Whisk the quiche batter so it is blended and pour carefully into the shells on top of the rocket and feta, pouring around the cherry tomatoes to keep the tops of the tomatoes batter free. Fill up each shell only about ⅔ or ¾ full as it puffs up and rises as it bakes.

Sprinkle each quiche with pine nuts.

Slide the whole baking tray with the filled quiche tins into the oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until the filling is puffed up and set. The top – or at least the edges – should be a deep golden color.

Or how about a goat cheese and tomato quiche?

Thank you for subscribing to Life’s a Feast by Jamie Schler where I share my recipes, mostly French traditional recipes, with their amusing origins, history, and anecdotes. I’m so glad that you’re here. You can support my work by sharing the link to my Substack with your friends, family, and your social media followers. If you would like to see my other book projects in the making, read my other essays, and participate in the discussions, please upgrade to a paid subscription.