Quiche - do you think of this as something that comes ready-made or do you make your own?

[Overmydeadbody]

Am curious

I want to make one! Don't have any pastry though.

princess, get one of your minions to do this:

Pastry : double weight flour to butter, rub the fat into the flour then enough water to make a firm ball. Chill 30 mins then roll out.

Eg 26cms pastry case needs about 6 oz flour, 3 oz butter.

i make my own. yum. but blind bake the pastry case -- do i not need to?

I never blind bake the pastry - I think that just is a faff and makes the pastry hard.

I blind bake the pastry so keep it from going soggy, but it's up to you.

Basically a quiche is a savoury custard tart, but not a smooth filling, it's ok to just break up the eggs without beating them really well.

The eggs are what make it 'set'.

So, eggs are needed, then some sort of creamy liquid, milk is fine, cream is lovely and rich, a mix of both is fine.

Then, flavourings are needed, grated cheese almost a must for a tasty quiche, cheedar is nice, red leicester gives a lovely colour, goats cheese, blue cheeses are lush if you like that sort of thing, and mixed stronger flavoured cheeses work well too.

Veg can be added, sauteed onions, mushrooms, broccoli (blanched), tomatoes (raw) caugettes (sauteed), leeks, spinach (swiss chard too) capers...

Protein can be added (or the cheese can be enough): fish, smoked fish, anchovies, prawns, cooked bacon, ham, chicken chunks, cut up hot dogs or cocktain sausages (surprisingly nice), etc etc etc

It needs to be cooked on a low heat for a long time, ideally, until it is set and firm to the touch. The higher the liquid to eg ratio, the longer it will take to set. .

And, if you cannot be bothered with all that, spanish omelette can be made with almost the same ingredients minus the pastry

also make own, NEVER make the pastry tho, buy that ready made. can't be faffing around with that!

I find tomatoes make it all go soggy.

is it really that easy to make pastry meltedmarsbars .

Didn't realise thats all it was.

Could I make these in yorkshire pudding trays sort of like mini quiches for the children to take to school?

Shiny shoes: Its just as easy to make pastry in a food processor, but I can't be bothered to wash up all the blades and bits, so use bowl and hands.

Short and Ruff-puff are the easiet. Try the Be-ro cookbook (sometimes sold in supermarkers by the flour).

when I make quiche (or "flan" as its known here - real men don't eat quiche), we eat it hot then the leftovers become dh's packed lunch the next day. I don't make kids packed lunch - they can get crap school dinners and see what rubbish the rest of the country eats.

yes shiny, you can make mini ones in yorkshire pud trays for lunchboxes!

Pastry really is easy to make. and even easier if you freeze the butter and just grate it into the flour.

In England it is definitely something that needs to be home-made.

Here in France you can buy such delectable ones in the boulangerie that I buy quiche.

I would never, ever buy an industrially-made quiche.

shortcrust pastry is always double flour to fat plus a teeny bit of cold water to bind once the fat is mixed in.

For more flaky pastry it's two thirds fat to flour, so for 6oz flour you'd use 4oz butter.

bonsouranna

The deli near us makes excellent ones. In theory I make them but I haven't for ages, don't think dh is keen. Agree that industrial ones aren't very nice.
LOL, this reminds me when I was at uni, a (male) friend insisting 'I can cook, I cooked a quiche today', meaning he'd heated up one from a box.

Kathy He'd have got as much nutritional benefit from eating the box!!

OMDB what do you classify as a low heat? The recipe someone else posted said 190 for 25 mins - I wouldn't consider that a low heat?

I like quiches but not bought ones but am terrified of pastry related items but might give this a bash. As I'm trying to lose weight, if I used skimmed milk, would that be okay? Could I add some half fat creme fraiche to make it a bit richer without making it too high fat?

One tart with with three eggs would feed what, four people?

Yes Meltedmarsbars, and probably crispier pastry.

What a fab idea - was wondering what to make for dinner
not got any cream though - can I use homemade yogurt?

Sometimes I make, sometimes I buy, depends how lazy I'm feeling! Home made far nicer though.

yes bonsoiranna - i still get culinary flashback to the magnificent tarts we bought in dinon for our picnic drving back up through the uk.

please I need to make it now else it will be pasta (again)

Kitten, try the yog and tell us how it was.

OhBling - i have aga so have no idea of heat - I do top oven for 30 mins till its browning nicely. hth

I always use yoghurt instead of cream - by volume, 1 part beaten egg, one part milk, one part low-fat yoghurt makes a 'custard' that doesn't blanket the flavour of the other ingredients.

Favourite fillings - blue cheese and chargrilled peppers with thyme [drool]

But I often cheat and use bought puff pastry, unless I'm making on a whim when I'll make shortcrust instead (always have the doings for that)

low heat anything from 150C to 170C. 190C if you are impatient

Yep yoghurt can be used, or creme freche

I luuuuuuurve blue cheese in mine, with anchovies too