What is a Quiche?

What is a Quiche (English pronunciation: (kish)? As much as the imagination can travel back to the "horio" (the little village) or "poli" (city) depending where one’s origins are in Greece.
When the quiche rage started, the French quickly asserted that this creation was a classic French dish. Chefs of many countries were quick to create their own national pride, except the Greeks.

Greek Chefs and housewives knew that the Greeks have been making quiche for hundreds and possibly thousands of years, at last count. All the "pites" made by the Greek grandmothers (giagias) and mothers (myteres) are a form of quiche, except for the name. There is no argument that the quiche concoction is Greek. For what is a "pita"? Eggs? cream and/or milk, vegetables (spinach) and cheese baked in phyllo. So what did the French do? They removed the phyllo and placed the “pita” contents into a savory pastry!
Yes! As a matter of fact quite a few French dishes have a root or two in Greek cooking.

A Quiche is an oven baked dish that is a custard! Made from eggs and milk or cream in a pastry crust. Usually, the pastry shell is blind baked (baked by itself), before the other ingredients are added for a secondary baking period. Additional ingredients such as cooked chopped meat (bacon), vegetables (broccoli, asparagus), cheese (Fontina, Swiss/Gruyere) are added to the egg mixture before the mixture is baked.
Quiche is generally an open pie (it does not have a pastry cover); however, it may include arrangements on top such as sliced tomatoes or a decorative finish, such as asparagus.

In France quiche is often eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner, depending on the type of composition, local customs and personal tastes. To make a ‘quiche’ you will need:

1 frozen pie shell or better 1 sheet from refrigerated package
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) butter
⅔ cup chopped shallots or red onions
5 cups sliced assorted mushrooms (chanterelle, shiitake, oyster, crimini or button)
4 large eggs
⅔ cup half and half
⅓ cup whole milk
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp freshly grated or ground nutmeg
1½ cups (packed) coarsely grated Fontina cheese (about ½ pound), divided in 2

Preheat the oven to 450° F

If you are using the refrigerated crust, unroll the crust completely. Press on to the bottom and sides of 9 inch deep pie dish and blind bake

Blind bake is an English term for baking a pie shell before it is filled. Add some weight, lay down a sheet of parchment or aluminum paper and pour beans as weight and bake until lightly golden brown, pressing on sides of the crust with the back of spoon if the crust begins to slide down sides of the dish, about 15-18 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350° F for the remaining baking

Meanwhile, melt the butter in large skillet over medium heat and add the shallots; sauté until they begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until mushrooms are tender and beginning to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and spread out to cool.

Whisk the eggs the half and half and milk, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and a dash of nutmeg in large bowl and blend.
Stir in 1 cup Fontina cheese and the sautéed mushrooms.

Pour this filling into the crust, sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheese over the top of the quiche and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Allow to cool for 30-45 minutes cut into wedges and serve.