The best cheese & onion quiche by Ina Paarman recipe (2024)

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The best cheese & onion quiche by Ina Paarman recipe (1)

September is Heritage month in South Africa and the focus is all around where we come from. This translates into the types of recipes I grew up with that make me remember my late mother. I wanted to make something using Cheddar and butter that immediately transported me back to my childhood and a recipe my mom would make. This cheese and onion quiche is one of those dishes and is the best. Nothing complicated, just the sweetness of butter-braised onions and the sharpness of mature Cheddar baked into a quiche, which was so very popular in the seventies.

The best cheese & onion quiche by Ina Paarman recipe (2)

My mom died when I was 18 so I couldn’t get her recipe nor could I find it in any of her recipe books she kept, but when I think of iconic South African cooks and heritage recipesI immediately turn to one of my many Ina Paarman cookbooks for inspiration.In her book ‘Cook with Ina Paarman’ which I have owned for as long as I can remember, she has a recipe for cheese & onion quiche and it’s exactly how I remember my mom’s version tasting. I’m not sure if she would have added cheese to her quiche pastry, but since you want to make this as cheesy as possible it is the right way to go.

The pastry is, in fact, the same recipe Ina uses for her cheese straws, so whatever is left over from making the quiche (it makes a little more than the recipe requires) – bake up a few straws. I added finely chopped rosemary and thyme to give the pastry and the quiche a slight herbaceous note.

The best cheese & onion quiche by Ina Paarman recipe (4)

The best cheese & onion quiche by Ina Paarman recipe (5)

The best cheese & onion quiche by Ina Paarman recipe (6)

Kerrygold is an Irish butter and cheese producer that make the most delicious products using milk from cows that freely graze on all that lush green grass. It’s packed with creaminess and is of top quality like all their products which are produced in Ireland and imported to over 90 countries in the world. I am obsessed with aged Cheddar and there are 24 months aged Cheddar is the one I go for. It’s also the one I used in this recipe because the cheese is such a central flavour component of this quiche, you don’t want to skimp and use anything but the best. Kerrygold products do not contain any artificial additives and only use natural ingredients“Because Taste is Everything”

The best cheese & onion quiche by Ina Paarman recipe (7)

The best cheese & onion quiche by Ina Paarman recipe (8)

The best cheese & onion quiche by Ina Paarman recipe (9)

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The best cheese & onion quiche by Ina Paarman recipe (10)

Recipe – makes one 25cm quiche (slightly adapted from Ina Paarman)

The best cheese and onion quiche

A delicious recipe for cheese & onion quiche by South African legend Ina Paarman.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:35 minutes mins

Ingredients

Cheese Pastry

  • 250 g flour
  • pinch of cayenne
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp chopped herbs rosemary & thyme – optional
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 150 gm Kerrygold butter
  • 1 cup 100g grated Kerrygold 24 month mature Cheddar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ¼ cup cold water

Cheese & onion quiche filling

  • 2 large brown onions chopped
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp Kerrygold butter
  • 1 – 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 large free-range eggs
  • ½ cup crème fraiche
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground white or black pepper
  • 1 cup grated 24 months mature Kerrygold Cheddar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180C / 350 F.

  • You can make this by hand using a pastry cutter or in a food processor.

  • Sift the flour and add this to the bowl of the food processor with the salt and cayenne and give it a 3-second mix.

  • Add the rest of the ingredients except the water and process briefly until just blended.

  • Add the cold water while the motor is running and until the mixture just comes together into a dough. Tip this onto a well-floured surface and knead briefly to form a ball of dough.

  • Roll this out to about 3mm thick and line the base of a 25cm quiche tin (this will be a little over half the dough). Allow some of the dough to hang over the sides and then trim. It will shrink back during baking. Prick the surface area of the pastry with a fork.

  • Blind bake the pastry case by scrunching up a piece of baking paper and then placing this on top of the pastry. The scrunching makes it easier to reach into the corners. Fill the case with any dried bean, rice or pasta (or pastry beans if you have these) and then bake for 10 minutes.

  • Remove from the oven and remove the paper and filling. Return the pan to the oven and bake for a further 5 – 8 minutes until it has crisped up and starts turning a golden brown.

  • While the pastry is baking blind, make your filling for the quiche.

  • Heat the butter and olive in a non-stick frying pan and once it starts bubbling add the onion and sauté them for about 10 minutes over low heat and until the onions are soft but not brown. Do not caramelize them. Add the garlic and set aside

  • In a bowl whisk the eggs with the crème Fraiche, milk and spices.

  • When the pastry comes out of the oven, sprinkle ¾ of the cheese across the base then spread the onion mix on top of that. Gently pour over the egg mixture and finally sprinkle the remaining cheese over the quiche.

  • Bake for 35 minutes until golden brown and firm.

Notes

Put the filled quiche onto a larger baking sheet in case there are any spills.

Quiche can be eaten cold or at room temperature. serve with a green salad to make a perfect light lunch.

Servings: 1 quiche

Author: Sam Linsell

*This post is proudly sponsored by Kerrygold

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The best cheese & onion quiche by Ina Paarman recipe (2024)

FAQs

What not to put in quiche? ›

Avoid Fillings That Are Too Wet

"Some vegetables, such as sliced large tomatoes or raw zucchini, have a high water content and will make your quiche soggy (even if you follow all steps to avoid this!)," Davila notes.

Is milk better than heavy cream in quiche? ›

Heavy Cream and Milk – For the best tasting quiche, use a combination of whole milk and heavy cream. (Or simply use half-and-half.) Using just heavy cream produces an overly thick filling. Whole milk is great, but a combo of heavy cream and milk is better.

How do you keep cheese from sinking in a quiche? ›

Another tip is to run a chopstick around the quiche so the solid ingredients in the filling don't all sink to the bottom. "For us the aim is to get the outside golden and the inside just set like scrambled eggs," he says. "That's the real skill there – you don't overcook the eggs or undercook the pastry.

Can I use Gruyere instead of Swiss in quiche? ›

In addition to quiche, it's commonly found in classic recipes like the Croque Monsieur or in fondue. While Gruyere is now fairly easy to find in grocery stores, it is on the pricier side, so feel free to substitute Emmental, Jarlsberg, Comte or Swiss cheese in this recipe.

What is the best cheese to use for quiche? ›

You can use any shredded cheese you like; one winning combination is havarti, colby, and Parmesan. Quiche is an excellent choice for any meal, including a busy weeknight dinner. It can even be prepared in advance and refrigerated or frozen, then quickly reheated.

Should quiche be cooked at 350 or 375? ›

BAKE in center of 375°F oven until center is almost set but jiggles slightly when dish is gently shaken and knife inserted near center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

What is the milk to egg ratio for quiche? ›

Quiche Ratio: 1 large egg to 1/2 cup of dairy

You'll need to increase the amount of eggs and milk based on the size of your quiche, so knowing the basic ratio makes it really easy to scale up or down. For a standard 9-inch quiche: Use 3 large eggs (6 ounces) 1 1/2 cups of whole milk or cream (12 ounces)

Why does my quiche always have a soggy bottom? ›

Wet pie fillings + raw dough are a tricky combination. If the bottom crust doesn't set before the filling soaks in, it's going to be gummy. A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom.

Can I use 2% milk instead of heavy cream for quiche? ›

For gluten-free crust, try making a sweet potato crust. The Custard: For your custard to set properly in the oven, use this easy ratio: 1 part dairy to 2 parts eggs. Classic custards use heavy cream, but 2% milk contains a fraction of the saturated fat and is still plenty rich.

Can you put too many eggs in a quiche? ›

Using too many eggs in the custard results in a quiche that rubbery and too firm when baked, while not using enough will prevent the custard from setting. Follow This Tip: Remember this ratio: 1 large egg to 1/2 cup of dairy.

Should crust be prebaked for quiche? ›

And yes, as you'll see, you should always prebake quiche crust to avoid a gummy pastry. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll out your homemade or purchased refrigerated dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully fold pastry circle into fourths.

Why do you put flour in quiche? ›

Roll it out a tad bit thicker than you normally would for a standard pie if possible, and absolutely use it all. Confidently press any overhang or extra pieces into the walls of your pan. Add flour to your filling: Adding a bit of flour to your quiche filling helps absorb moisture and stabilize things in general.

What is a good substitute for Fontina cheese in quiche? ›

Gruyère: Gruyère cheese is a Swiss cheese known for its nutty and slightly sweet flavor. It melts well and can be used as a substitute for Fontina in sandwiches, quiches, and gratins. Emmental: Emmental cheese is another Swiss cheese with a mild, slightly nutty taste.

What is a good substitute for ricotta cheese in quiche? ›

Queso fresco: Queso fresco, a fresh Mexican cheese, is a good alternative to ricotta in dishes where the cheese is uncooked. Mascarpone: Another Italian cheese, mascarpone makes a great ricotta substitute. However, since mascarpone is more tart and flavorful, you should only use it in dishes with other strong flavors.

What is a less expensive substitute for Gruyère cheese? ›

Widely available, super-affordable, and adorably holey, American Swiss can take the place of Gruyère in any recipe that calls for the latter. Honestly speaking, you will not get the same nutty, earthy flavor, but you'll get something close: A mild cheese that is creamy, a bit sweet, and melts extraordinarily well.

What can go wrong when making quiche? ›

Mistakes Everyone Makes When Preparing Quiche
  • Overworking the dough. ...
  • Putting too much liquid in the dough. ...
  • Using too much flour when rolling the dough. ...
  • Not refrigerating the dough. ...
  • Skipping the blind baking step. ...
  • Not using pie weights. ...
  • Not brushing the crust with an egg white.
Feb 2, 2023

What can go wrong with quiche? ›

A quiche is a type of custard and can crack if the ratio of egg yolk to cream is not right (try about 2 whites, four yolks and a little less than 400 ml cream). If you are using light cream then that is also a mistake. A quiche can also crack if you cook it too quickly or in too hot an oven.

Why put nutmeg in quiche? ›

Salt, cayenne pepper, ground nutmeg: These seasonings flavor of the quiche, with salt balancing the flavors, cayenne pepper adding a slight heat, and ground nutmeg providing a warm, nutty undertone.

What is the formula for quiche? ›

Ratios: The best way to make a quiche is to add the eggs to a large measuring cup, then add the cream or milk. For every egg used you should add enough milk or cream to create a 1/2 cup. Meaning for 1 egg you will add enough cream or milk to make 1/2 a cup of mixture.

References

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