The Pungent Ingredient You Should Splurge On When Making Quiche

For such a luxurious dish, quiche is a surprisingly easy-to-make meal that only requires a pie crust, eggs, and a few extra ingredients. Even the simplest quiche can wow with a savory flavor and a creamy texture that keeps you coming back for more. That being said, some classic quiche recipes may grow old if you are someone who likes to cook this dish regularly. If you're looking to spice up your next quiche, we recommend doing so with, well, spice — in particular, any one of the specialty black pepper varieties on the market.

While black pepper is the most ubiquitous type of peppercorn around the world, it is not a monolith. There are many sub-categories of black pepper available, each with its own unique flavor. Some are musky, others are fruity, and so on. The unifying trait among all these pepper varieties, however, is their piquant quality, or their ability to make your mouth tingle and water. The mild ingredients in quiche — like milk and eggs — rely on the addition of stronger flavors to save the dish from becoming bland, and the zesty quality of any kind of pepper elevates the eating experience of quiche in seconds by providing a much-needed punch. By using more distinctive types of black pepper, you will further enhance the pie by adding more unexpected complexity.

When it comes to experimenting with new spices (especially ones that come with a kick), it is important to pay attention to ratios. A good starting point for many black pepper varieties is to simply add that pepper to your quiche of choice (such as our spring quiche recipe) in the same amount that you would traditionally use black pepper and adjust to taste each time you make the dish until you find the right amount for you. Even before doing so, however, be sure to taste the new pepper on its own to ensure it is not stronger than you expect. If it is significantly hotter or more assertive than you would enjoy in a standard substitution amount, add less. If it is weaker than you would enjoy, feel free to add more from the start.

Using unusual types of black pepper offers a great opportunity to experiment with other quiche ingredients as well. For example, a classic quiche Lorraine, which features a hefty amount of bacon, may benefit from being brightened up by the addition of the fruity, smoky flavor of Vietnamese black pepper. Meanwhile, the already-complex taste of a loaded vegetarian quiche might be better off with the milder Brazilian black pepper. Don't be afraid to head to your nearest specialty spice shop and get creative to find what versions fit your individual palate best.