Quiche seems like such a simple dish to make. There are, however, several things to consider in order to make this beloved French dish the proper way . For the crust, you need to be mindful not to overwork the dough.
For the custard, you need to make sure you are using the right amount of eggs. But perhaps one of the most important things to do, according to Mary Nguyen, chef and founder at Olive & Finch Collective , a group of three restaurants in Denver, CO, is pre-cook the vegetables. Although many will argue that the only true quiche is quiche Lorraine – the version of quiche that includes only eggs, bacon, and crème fraîche — once you have your pie crust and your egg custard, there are seemingly endless varieties of quiche you can make.
Even the Association for the Protection of the Quiche, which conducts an annual Quiche of the Year competition, says that additional fillings are not only allowed, but encouraged. Not surprisingly, many of the past winners have included plenty of vegetables. Pre-cooking is particularly important with veggies that have a lot of moisture, like mushrooms, spinach, and onions, which can turn your quiche watery.
"The goal," says Nguyen, "is to keep the quiche's texture creamy, not soggy." Don't pre-cook the veggies completely Chef Mary Nguyen does not advise cooking the vegetables completely before adding them to the quiche custard. "Just soften them up and reduce the moisture a bit," she says, noting that they will continue cooking in.