Bake a quiche

It's not as difficult as it might seem. Geeta Nihalani provides a few recipes.

The first thing that comes to mind when we hear the word 'quiche' is of an ultra-sophisticated and intricate French entrée. We tend to eat our quiches mostly when we are out at a fancy cafe or French bistro.

But honestly, quiches are extremely easy to make. After a couple of tries, you will master the technique and easily be able to make your very own quiche in the comfort of your home.

What are quiches exactly? A quiche is a flaky pastry pie filled with a combination of eggs, cream or milk, cheese and any other stuffing that is baked. The most popular of all quiches is the Quiche Lorraine which includes eggs and Gruyere cheese in its ingredients.

Other variations include ingredients such as cheddar cheese, broccoli or mushrooms. A quiche with a fusion twist can include salmon, feta cheese, bell peppers, chives — anything you fancy! It is very easy to make plenty of variations and you never have to eat the same quiche again!

You can buy the readymade crust from the supermarket and keep it in your freezer. Just make sure you defrost the crust beforehand. You can make up the ingredients for the filling from what you have in your fridge; it can even be leftovers.

So go ahead and prepare an authentic quiche and enjoy a traditional French meal at home!

Recipe: Basic Quiche

Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups half-and-half cream
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 ounces Jarlsberg cheese or any other, shredded
- 2 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell
- Serves 6

Getting started

- STEP 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

- STEP 2: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and half-and-half. Season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Place shredded Jarlsberg and mozzarella in the pie shell. Pour egg mixture over cheese.

- STEP 3: Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and bake for 25 minutes, or until crust is golden and filling is set. Allow to set 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe: Tomato and basil quiche

Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 tomatoes, peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese or any other, divided
Serves 6

Getting started

- STEP 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Bake pie shell in preheated oven for 8 minutes.

- STEP 2: Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until soft; remove from skillet. Sprinkle tomato slices with flour and basil, then saute 1 minute on each side. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper.

- STEP 3: Spread 1 cup shredded cheese in the bottom of pie crust. Layer onions over cheese, and top with tomatoes. Cover with egg mixture. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

- STEP 4: Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until filling is puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.