Quiche is a fabulously versatile dish. It can be flavoured to suit any meal of the day, occasion, season or tastebud. The most ultimate of tarts find that winning combination of creamy filling that contrasts with crisp pastry. Served hot, warm or at room temperature, a quiche will cater for numbers large and small at a dinner party or be happily scoffed, eaten with your fingers, on a picnic. As a bonus, quiche is a well-rounded meal on its own, including all the main food groups – carbs, protein, diary and veg. Such is the potential variety that carnivores, vegetarians, vegans and coeliacs can all enjoy a tasty quiche. Join me on a colourful meander through variations on the theme of quiche.
Our Quiche Dishes have a versatile design that makes them perfect for any occasion! Our Batter Bowl in Apple makes a perfect mixing bowl for pouring.
Spring and Summer Green
Let’s start with now, a moment in the year when we finally have some sustained warmth and daylight and summer is within reach. It’s time for a spell of fresh flavours and all things green! Asparagus, broccoli, French beans, peas, spinach, chard (keep and finely chop the colourful stems). While my favourite flan fillings usually pair veg with cheese (broccoli and blue cheese, spinach and ricotta, asparagus and Gruyere), a quiche can be intensely rich in flavour with distinctive and fresh herbs. Go even more green with dill, mint, tarragon or sage.
Autumnal Reds
Come the fall we tend to seek out warmer, richer flavours such as roasted tomatoes and red peppers, earthy beetroot and mushrooms – though there is always space for mushrooms in a tart. Pair these ingredients with smoky aromas – smoked paprika, smoke essence itself, or bacon – robust herbs like sage and rosemary and scattered toasted pine nuts or toasted and chopped hazelnuts or walnuts over the top.
Bake and enjoy straight from the dish. Our Quiche Dish in Forget Me Not is delightfully adaptable.
Winter Whites
This past winter I discovered, and made many times, a quiche recipe using celeriac, whose fragrant flavour I love. Dividing the eggs and adding the beaten whites to the rest of filling created a light soufflé-effect that contrasted so nicely with the hearty pastry (with grated mature cheddar in it). Like the famous Portuguese Pastel de Nata, individual flaky puff pastry cases full of creamy leek and cheddar cheese filling can almost taste as sweet! Tarts filled with caramelised garlic cloves or onions with goat’s cheese are delicious winter warmers. A few spoonfuls of roasted and squeezed Jerusalem artichoke will deepen the flavours in any filling, as will baked fennel.
Quiche works most wonderfully when it’s gooey filling contrasts with a perfectly crisp pastry shell. Serve a slice on a round everyday plate or rectangular plate.
Perfect Pastry
I don’t mean to have over-egged the filling (excuse the pun) at the expense of the pastry case. If you use pre-made and pre-rolled pastry (shortcrust, puff or filo – all very moreish) for the case you can focus entirely on creating an exceptional tart filling. However, quiche works most wonderfully when it’s gooey filling contrasts with a perfectly crisp pastry shell. To do this it’s good to blind bake the case as well as drain off or squeeze out any excess liquid from the filling to avoid a soggy base. If you like to make shortcrust pastry from scratch, this is where subtle extra dimensions can be added to the taste by including herbs, spices or seeds. Depending on what would most complement the filling try carraway, fennel or cumin seeds. Chilli flakes will bring a delicate tingle and poppy seeds make it look pretty.
As an alternative to pastry, grated potato (mixed with an egg) pressed into a flan dish can make a custard-tight casing for your quiche. Season with salt, pepper and other herbs and spices before you spread it out. This rösti case takes more blind-baking than pastry but crisps up nicely.
I hope this riff on quiches/tarts/flans/egg pies, call them what you will, and their many manifestations has whet your appetite. If you have your own suggestions do send them in!
Susan Mosse
