How to Make Quiche
Source of Recipe
Manitoba Egg Producers
Quiche - another versatile egg dish! It is a flavorful custard baked in a pie crust. More simply put, the quiche is an egg pie. It is supposed to have originated in the French province of Lorraine, hence, the best known of these custards is Quiche Lorraine.
The basic ingredients of eggs, milk, and cheese become the carrier for all sorts of food combinations. Additions can include ham, poultry, seafood, and beef, as well as a multitude of vegetables. This part of the quiche is a snap to prepare but the pastry shell does take more time. Of course, if you're rushed for time or just want to cut down on calories, it can be baked without the crust!
Serve quiche any time! Besides offering it as a stylish brunch entree, you can pair it with salad for a light dinner, or pass small servings as an hors d'oeuvre, even transport it to a picnic or potluck.
The Basic Quiche
1 - 23 cm pie shell 9 inch
375 to 500 mL filling ingredients 1 1/2 to 2 cups
4 eggs 4
375 mL light cream or evaporated milk, undiluted 1 1/2 cups
1 to 2 mL herb or other seasonings 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon
2 mL salt (optional) 1/2 teaspoon
1 mL pepper (optional) 1/4 teaspoon
Spread filling ingredients into a prebaked pie shell.
Beat together eggs and combine with cream or milk and desired seasonings.
Pour the custard mixture over the filling in a pastry-lined dish.
Bake in 180 C (350 F) oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.
Quiche Combinations
Quiche Lorraine 6 slices crisp bacon, crumbled, 250 mL (1 cup) shredded Swiss cheese, 1 mL (1/4 tsp.) nutmeg.
Spinach Quiche 1-300 g (10 oz.) package chopped spinach, well drained, 125 mL (1/2 cup) crumbled feta cheese, 1 mL (1/4 tsp.) dry mustard, 1 mL (1/4 tsp.) tarragon.
Carrot Quiche 375 mL (1 1/2 cups) finely shredded carrots, 125 mL (1 1/2 cup) shredded cheese, 2 mL (1/2 tsp) basil.
Meaty Quiche 250 mL (1 cup) chopped, cooked meat (ham, chicken, or beef), 125 mL (1/2 cup) finely chopped green onion, 125 mL (1/2 cup) shredded Swiss cheese, 2 mL (1/2 tsp.) oregano.
The Pie Crust
Frozen pie shells are a convenient substitute to making your own pastry. Purchase the deep-dish style in order to hold the quantity of custard for the Basic Quiche. When using frozen pastry, no pre-cooking of the shell is necessary before filling.
Prepare your pie pastry from your favorite recipe. Almost any pie crust can be used but we recommend that you prebake the crust so it won't become soggy when it bakes with the custard mixture.
To prebake the pie shell, line the unbaked shell with 30 cm (12 inch) square of aluminum foil. Fill with rice or dried beans or peas. Cover rim of shell with edges of foil. Bake in 230 C (450 F) oven until lightly browned at edges, about 10 minutes. Lift out foil and rice. Cool on wire rack.
Reduce calories and save time by making a crustless quiche. Simply omit pie crust from quiche recipes and grease the pie plate or quiche dish.
Souper Beefy Quiche - (called "Souper" Beefy Quiche, a play on words, because of the addition of the Tomato "Soup")
1-23 cm prebaked pie shell 9 inch
225 g ground beef 1/2 pound
125 mL chopped onion 1/2 cup
6 eggs 6
1-284 mL can condensed cream of tomato soup, undiluted 10 ounce
In medium-sized fry pan, over medium heat, cook ground beef with onion until beef is lightly browned. Drain well and sprinkle into pie shell. Beat together eggs and soup until well blended. Pour over beef mixture.
Bake in 190 C (375 F) oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean. 30-40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 6 Servings.
The Magic Quiche
250 g cooked, crumbled bacon 1/2 pound
250 mL shredded Swiss cheese 1 cup
125 mL finely chopped onion 1/2 cup
1-198 mL can niblet corn, drained 7 ounce
4 eggs 4 eggs
1 mL salt 1 teaspoon
0.5 mL pepper 1/8 teaspoon
0.5 mL nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon
125 mL biscuit baking mix 1/2 cup
500 mL milk 2 cups
Generously grease 25 cm (10 inch) quiche pan or pie plate. Combine bacon, cheese, onion, and corn; spread in prepared pan. Place remaining ingredients in blender; blend at high speed for 1 minute. Pour over bacon mixture.
Bake at 180 C (350 F) oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let set 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 6 servings.
|
|
member logon
