Do you French 'quiche'?

The only cooks in the civilized world are French cooks… Other nations understand food in general; the French alone understand cooking, because all their qualities — promptitude, decision, tact — are employed in the art. No foreigner can make a good white sauce. — Roqueplan (born Louis Victor Nestor Rocoplan), French journalist and theater administrator of “La Vie Parisienne” (1853)

It was after our morning class at the Ritz Escoffier that my classmates decided to walk to Galeries Lafayette to do some shopping and see the latest trends in French cuisine. In every country I get a chance to visit, I always bring a list of foods that should be tried; for Paris, it’s quiche Lorraine, of course. The narrow pavements and busy intersections of Paris are windows of French culture, showcasing its rich history, flair and panache — its proud lifestyle. I passed three cafés on our stroll, and each time would take out an order. I would have brought home more if not for the terrible afternoon downpour that left us soaking wet and running for cover. Still my spirits weren’t dampened and after a quick shower at the hotel I rushed downstairs to the school to talk to chef Didier and asked him about this famous French classic. He was amused, but could see my enthusiasm and gladly explained the history behind the dish.

Quiche Lorraine (pronounced “keesh”) is the counterpart to Italian pizza wherein you bake a crust with everything on top. Quiche comes from the French-German dialect and is derived from the German word kuchen meaning “cake,” though it is more like a tart or pie than the usual cake we see today. Lorraine is an eastern region bordering France and Germany and is also famous for being a highly contested area during the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 where a portion was returned to France. Chef Didier explained that a basic quiche Lorraine consists of a flaky pie crust, custard egg filling with bacon and cheese as topping. During Medieval times quiche used a custard base, a bread shell with meat on top, though it was extremely bland in taste, eaten only by peasants and commoners. As new ingredients were discovered, the dish became more sophisticated, eaten as a meal or cut into tiny pieces and served as hors d’oeuvres or appetizers.

To make a delicious crust one must use both butter and shortening. All butter is tasty but if you use butter alone the crust will not be flaky, while using just shortening will make the pie fall apart and it will lack flavor. A variety of ingredients may be used for the filling — as chef Didier explained, anything goes. Most common ingredients are white onion (for sweeter flavor); bacon cooked to a crisp; whole eggs, fresh milk and the five essential herbs and spices of pepper, salt, paprika, nutmeg and parsley. Any soft cheese can be used to give it its soft texture and creamy taste. It may be served hot or cold. Again, chicken or seafood may be used in place of bacon and parsley may be substituted with spinach or basil.

Quiche Lorraine or Cheese Custard Tarts

1) Preheat oven 350° F or 175° C. Prepare one 10 x 12 x 1-inch tray or two nine-inch round layer pans. Measure and place foil at the bottom; enough to cover the sides of the pans. You will use this as a guide when you roll out the dough or crust.

2) For the crust: Place in a big bowl 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt. Mix in at low mixer speed 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 cup butter. Add 1/2 cup water. Press dough with hands to form into a ball. Sprinkle extra flour on precut foil. Place dough on top. Sprinkle extra flour on top of dough. Place wax paper on top, the same size as the foil. Roll out to fit pan. Remove paper and carefully lift dough with the foil onto pan. Add filling and bake 30 minutes or until center is firm.

3) For the filling: Place in a medium saucepan 1 cup chopped bacon and 1 cup chopped white onions. Cook together until bacon is crispy. Remove from fire and add 3 cups milk, 200g. Quickmelt cheese (chopped), 6 whole eggs, 1 tsp each of pepper, salt and paprika, 1/2 tsp McCormick nutmeg, 1/2 cup chopped parsley.

4) Note: 1 can of tuna or 1 cup seafood or ham or corned beef can be used in place of bacon.

5) Note: I suggest using a pizza roller, available in kitchenware sections of supermarkets. This wooden, one-handle, two-edge roller has a long end to press the center of the crust while the short end is used for the edges.