Pies and Quiches: What’s the Deal?

Have you met anyone who didn’t like quiches or pies? We haven’t either! It’s safe to say that they’re universally loved by kids and adults alike. It may take a considerable amount of effort to make them, but the outcome is always well worth it.

While quiches and pies have a lot in common, they are two entirely different dishes.

Let’s start with the basic similarity: both have pastry bottoms and crusts that could make or break your creation. After all, who wants to see a half-finished pie or quiche with just the filling gone?

Pie crust should be flaky and tender, while quiche experts swear by shortcut pastry that doesn’t puff up when baked. There are so many ways to create a good crust, and the ingredients make it deceptively simple to bake: Maya All-Purpose Flour, butter and/or shortening, salt, water, and oil (for quiche crust). Easy!

According to different sources, the secret to a great crust can range from the absurd (like using vodka) to the scientific (using cold ingredients like butter so gluten doesn’t form).

There’s also such a thing as underbaking or over handling and rolling the dough, and putting too much Maya All-Purpose Flour on your rolling board can cause your crust to turn hard and unappetizing. Use a decent amount of flour and roll the dough from the center outwards to get that perfect circular crust that you can easily pop into the pan. Remember: parchment or grease-proof paper are your friends.

Now for the exciting part: the filling. Pie’s are typically sweet. Buko and mangoes are the popular go-to for Filipino pie makers, while cherries, berries, pumpkins, and apples are preferred in the west.

Quiche, on the other hand, is savory and doesn’t have a dough lid. The filling consists of a custard made with milk, eggs, and seasoning, with any variety of cooked ingredients like “wilted” spinach, mushrooms, bacon, sausage, ham, and cheese added in. Be sure to turn the heat on low so the eggs in your quiche don’t end up scrambled.

Quiche is perfect as an appetizer or a light main dish, while a slice of pie ends the meal on a sweet and satisfying note. These delectable dishes may be challenging at first, but they’ll soon become much simpler as you master them.

For inquiries on class schedules and other concerns, call The Maya Kitchen at 8921185 or 8925011 loc. 108.