While it has long been thought of as a French dish, quiche originated in Germany.
It was made with a bready dough but then evolved into a pastry base, which is pre-baked. The term “baking blind” refers to covering the dough with baking paper, weighing it down with dried beans or rice and baking it.
It is then filled with a mixture of cream, milk, eggs and cheese and a choice of savoury ingredients, from meat to fish or vegetables. This is baked until set and can be served hot or cold.
This onion quiche is close to the original German quiche as it has a yeast dough crust which is rich in butter, almost like a brioche dough. It is filled with caramelised onions, eggs, milk and cream.
It is a little time-consuming, but definitely worth the effort.
The spinach and feta quiche uses shortcrust pastry as the base.
CARAMELISED ONION QUICHE
Serves 6-8
30g butter
3 large onions, thinly sliced
salt and black pepper
DOUGH
310ml flour
15ml sugar
7ml instant yeast
5ml salt
1 egg, beaten
15ml milk
30-40ml warm water to mix
60g butter, cubed
FILLING
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
250ml milk
250ml cream
salt and pepper
Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the onions and seasoning. Fry over a low heat until very soft and starting to caramelise. This will take about an hour.
DOUGH: Combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a bowl and mix to combine.
Add the egg, milk and enough water to make a dough that is soft but not sticky. Knead well using the dough hook of an electric mixer.
Add the butter a little at a time until it has all been incorporated into the dough. Cover the bowl and leave to rise for an hour.
Turn the dough on to a floured surface and roll out to fit a 23cm pie plate. Allow the dough to overhang the edges slightly.
Spread the caramelised onions over the base.
FILLING: Combine the eggs, yolks, milk, cream and seasoning and mix well. Pour over the onions.
Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes until puffed up and set. Remove and cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
SPINACH AND FETA QUICHE
Serves 6-8
Pastry
500ml cake flour
150g butter
1 egg
about 30ml iced water
Filling
4 eggs
250ml fresh cream
200g packet of spinach, blanched and chopped
150g feta cheese, crumbled
250ml grated mature cheddar cheese
Add the flour and butter to a food processor and pulse until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
Add the egg and iced water and pulse until it forms a ball.
Remove and roll out into a circle large enough to fit a deep 18cm loose-bottom tart pan. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
For the filling, beat the eggs and cream together. Add the spinach, feta and cheddar. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Bake the pastry blind in an oven pre-heated to 180°C for 10-15 minutes, or until golden.
Remove the beans or rice and bake for a further 5 minutes to dry out the base.
Pour the prepared filling in and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until set.
* The quiche can be made in a 23cm shallow quiche tin instead of an 18cm deep pan.
Angela Day, Sunday Independent