quiche lorraine with spinach - french vegetable pie

 

Quiche Lorrain, one of the most famous dishes coming from a region in France called the Lorraine and is situated east of the region called Alscae and on the south of the German border.The french word for Quiche is deriving from the Alsacian word Kuechel or Kichel, which actually means cake. The quiche is a salty, savory pie with a shortpastry floor and a sumptuous filling. The one that I am making today is not a real quiche in the strict sense of the word as the real traditional quich recipe does not contain any veggies. Those quiche recipes that we find today and that have fillings mixed with spinach, leak or other ingredients are actually just a salty tarte based on the quiche recipe. But let's not nutpick on the tradition of quiche making, let's actually rather make one ourselves. Here we go.

Ingredients:

• the shortpastry:
• 250 g wheat flour
•  ½ teaspoon of salt
• 125 g butter
• 6 tablespoon of cold water

 The filling:

• 500 g spinach (best of you got fresh spinach)
• 2 onions
• 3 EL butter
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 teaspoon of instant veggie stock
• 150 g cheese (Gouda or similar)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 eggs
• 200 g creme fraiche or sour cream
• white pepper
• Butter and breadcrumbs for the form

For the dough, mix the flour, salt, butter and water together till you have as smooth dough. wrap this one in and put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.


In the meantime, clean and cut the spinach. Dice the onions and fry them off in butter till see through. add the spinach and cook for about 3 minutes covered. Add the diced garlic and season with the instant stock an and some pepper.
In the meantime mix the eggs with the creme fraiche and season off with salt and pepper.
Now roll out the dough and put it in a tarte form, also cover the floor and the sides. Poke some holes in the dough and pop it in a preheated over for about 10 minutes on 175°C.

Pre-baked patee in the baking tray

Now put the spinach mix on the pate, put the grated cheese over the spinach. then pour the egg / creme fraiche over it.

pate with qiche filling

Now pop the quiche in the oven and bake at 175°C for about 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown. Voila, cut yourself a piece and enjoy with a glass of white wine or with a fresh salad.