By Marcia Pilgeram
Reader Columnist
I’ve done a fair amount of entertaining this month, and one of my favorite go-to offerings has seen a lot of action: quiche! A dear friend has generously shared plenteousness from her well-loved and tended hens. Nothing compares to a barnyard egg in taste or appearance, and my own beautiful golden quiches have never looked or tasted better.
I took my first bite of quiche about 50 years ago at Ichabod’s. It was a trendy bistro in Helena, Mont., serving bold fare with a flair. This sophisticated ’70s dining experience was memorable: a golden wedge of creamy quiche Lorraine plated alongside a fresh spinach salad loaded with bacon, hard-boiled eggs and red onions ladled with a creamy vinaigrette. It was a far cry from my usual clubhouse sandwich with fries, served at Woolworth’s luncheonette counter, just across the gulch.
Ichabod’s became a favorite eatery of mine (when my meager budget allowed), and the quiche, with its rich, flaky crust, savory bacon and silky cheese, became my all-time favorite dish on their menu.
Though it seems so French, the original quiche was created in Lothringen, Germany (otherwise known as German Lorraine, and which later became part of French Lorraine) and made with bits of leftover bread dough, eggs and bacon. It crossed the border into France and, soon after, other regional offerings began to appear: quiche Alsacienne (with onions), quiche Florentine (with spinach) and quiche Provençale (with tomatoes and herbs).
Julia Child showed off her famous baking skills a few hundred years later, introducing Americans to this decadent and savory custard. It became a favorite of others, too, and continued its rise to fame, showing up on lunch, brunch and tea menus everywhere. And we loved it!
Soon, it was a grocery store staple; and, by the ’80, it had reached peak popularity. Then, a few of the masculine gender type began tiring of this egg pie and started lining up to buy a copy of Bruce Feirstein’s satirical Real Mean Don’t Eat Quiche.
Some of those “real men” included our crusty old ranch hands I fed daily, and no quantity of crispy bacon or diced ham piled high in the cheesy custard would convince them otherwise. It didn’t help that I’d recently purchased a magnificent, labor-saving Cuisinart food processor, and they were already a tad skeptical of the culinary creations (a.k.a. brilliantly camouflaged leftovers) I was bringing to our communal table.
While the ranch hands and a few other tough guys held out, the book only made quiche more popular, and soon cookbooks were filled with a plethora of tasty recipes, all noted in the often overlooked and lonely “Q” section of the index. Notable chefs like Martha Stewart were whipping up countless Americanized versions featuring seafood, vegetables and elegant toppings, like crème fraîche and a dollop of caviar (actually a favorite of mine).
The 40th anniversary edition of Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking features 21 recipes for quiche. Today, you can find countless cookbooks dedicated exclusively to quiches that include the classics and recipes for eggless, crustless, vegetarian and vegan offerings.
Though we’ve seen its popularity wane in the last decade or so, many coffee houses and delis sell it by the slice, and Costco still sells it frozen in bulk packages. You could slip the frozen quiche into your own ceramic pie plate, bake it and add a bit of garnish, and your brunch guests will be none the wiser (I won’t tell).
Not too long ago, someone (much younger than me) was browsing through one of my cookbooks and asked if people still eat quiche! Of course we do, which is why I’ve turned out several since then (including my current favorite, prosciutto and grilled veggies).
All I am saying… is give quiche a chance.
Prosciutto and grilled vegetable quiche
Quiche by Marcia Pilgeram.
A quiche you can serve for breakfast, brunch, luncheon or picnic. The salty prosciutto and grilled vegetables pack this quiche with flavor. Serve with a chilled rosé and a side salad. Makes one 9-inch quiche.
INGREDIENTS:
• One 9-inch pie crust (your favorite recipe or store-bought)
Filling:
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ cup grated Gruyère cheese (or Swiss cheese)
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 slices of prosciutto, finely chopped
• 1 small zucchini, quartered and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• ½ small red onion, chopped
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs fresh thyme leaves
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425°F, you will lower to 375°F after 10 minutes.
Roll your pie crust into a 9-inch pie pan. Flute and prick all over, chill until ready to fill.
Grill the vegetables: Heat olive oil in a grill pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Grill bell pepper, green and yellow zucchini, red onion, about 5-7 minutes or until softened and lightly charred. Season lightly with salt and let cool (remember the prosciutto will be salty).
Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Scatter grilled vegetables, prosciutto and cheese evenly over the crust.
Pour egg mixture over top. Gently tap to fill any air pockets.
Place quiche on lowest oven rack and bake for 10 minutes at 425°F. Lower oven to 375°F and move quiche to middle or upper rack. Bake another 25-30 minutes, or until center is just set, slightly puffed and golden brown. If edges brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
Let rest at least 10-15 minutes before cutting into pie wedges. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.
