Quiche is a delicious, simple, and (according to Julia Child) practically foolproof French dish. It can be served hot or cold, as a main course or as hors d'oeuvres. Quiche is basically an egg mixture baked in a pastry shell, but any number of combinations are possible. All kinds of vegetables, meats, and cheeses can be added. As for the crust, if pastry just isn't your thing some recipes allow you to
skip it altogether, or replace with
tasty prosciutto. I even found one recipe for
eggless quiche (although I admit I have my doubts). After skimming through various recipes on
Marmiton,
Epicurious,
Allrecipes, and
Julia Child's masterpiece
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, there are a few essential ingredients you should have on hand: eggs (at least 3); milk, cream, or half and half; an 8-9 inch pastry shell, or the ingredients to make one; butter (this is French cooking after all); whatever seasonings and fillings your heart desires.
Like I said, there are all kinds of possibilities, but to get you started here is Marmiton's
recipe for a classic quiche lorraine:
Ingredients (serves 4) :
- 1 pie crust
- just under 1 cup lardons (ham or blanched bacon work, too)
- 2 T butter
- 3 eggs
- .8 cups cream
- .8 cups milk
- salt and pepper
- nutmeg
Préparation :
Brown the lardon/ham/bacon and place it in the crust. Dot with butter. Beat the eggs, cream, and milk together. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste, then pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350 F. Julia Child recommends checking for doneness with the classic knife-in-the-center trick; if it comes out clean, then bon appetit!
