Egg & Cheese Dishes: Quiches

French dishes made of pastry shells with egg-and-cream custard fillings are called quiches or sometimes kiches. Generally believed to have originated in the region of Alsace-Lorraine, quiches are made with the addition of such ingredients as ham, crabmeat, salmon, cheese, onions, etc.

The best known, however, includes bacon and is called quiche Lorraine. A quiche is cooked traditionally in a simple metal flan ring placed on a cookie sheet. The pastry and filling are placed inside a ring, which is removed before serving. If a flan ring is not available, the dish can be made in a straight-sided cake pan with a removable bottom.

Included here are recipes for two quiches which can be served hor d’oeuvre, luncheon, or supper entrees. Although there are many recipes for these dishes, these are the traditional French ones.