Now the weather is warming up a little in the Orne, we look forward to something other than soup at midday. Quiches are the perfect lunch dish, served warm or cold. Whatever the filling, and I’m always experimenting with whatever vegetables I have in the basket, they go really well with a simple accompaniment of mâche (lambs lettuce) lightly dressed with olive oil or vinaigrette.

I love the french pâte, sold in the supermarkets, ready rolled and cut to the size of a large quiche dish. You can use the baking paper it comes wrapped in which makes it very convenient to use and keeps the mess down. I’m not great at making pastry so I figure, why bother, when I can get it so easily. My favourite is feuilletté (flaky pastry) which is perfect for savoury quiches.

I usually start with a basic mix which consists of 4 eggs (depending on size of egg and dish) and milk, or cream, with salt and pepper. I put these in a bowl and lightly mix together with a hand whisk. I layer the vegetables I’ve chosen over the base of the pastry and then carefully pour over the egg mixture. I bake for about 30 minutes at about 200 degreesC, until firm to the touch and golden brown.

Three pepper quiche: chopped and de-seeded peppers (green, red and yellow) spread in the base of the dish and the egg mixture poured over was enthusiastically received by H. when I made it for lunch one day last week.

Other variations I tried last summer include:

  • spinach, cooked and squeezed of as much moisture as possible, with grated cheese;
  • broccoli, broken into small florets, and blue cheese (my favourite is Bleu d’Auvergne) but any will do;
  •  finely sliced leek and grated cheese;
  • finely chopped courgette and peppers, (make sure you put the courgette on top of the peppers as it has a tendency to soak into the pastry otherwise);
  • as well as the traditional lardons (finely chopped bacon) and chopped onion, to which I sometimes add grated cheese.

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Here’s a photo of ‘one I made earlier’, which first appeared on another blog I wrote last year about moving to France.

                                                                                            quiche-2-feb-2007-002.jpg

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