🍂 A culinary greeting from the French autumn kitchen
When autumn arrives in France, the weekly markets turn into colorful landscapes of pumpkins, chestnuts, and apples. Especially the Potimarron, that is, the Hokkaido pumpkin, is a star in this season. Its sweet-nutty taste is reminiscent of chestnuts (hence the name: potiron = pumpkin, marron = chestnut) – making it a favorite vegetable of many French chefs.
The quiche, originally from the Lorraine region, has long been a classic of French cuisine. It offers the perfect stage for seasonal ingredients: you can enjoy it warm or cold, as a main dish with salad or in small forms as a starter.
The combination of pumpkin and goat cheese is particularly popular in French autumn cuisine – hearty, creamy, and slightly sweet at the same time. The goat cheese brings balance to the natural sweetness of the pumpkin with its delicate acidity, while thyme and a hint of nutmeg add depth.
🧀 Recipe: Quiche au Potimarron et Chèvre
🕰️ Preparation time
- Preparation: 25 minutes
- Baking time: 40 minutes
- Total time: approx. 1 hour 5 minutes
🍽️ For 4–6 servings
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 250 g flour (type 405 or 550)
- 125 g cold butter (in pieces)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 egg
- 2–3 tbsp cold water
For the filling:
- 500 g Hokkaido pumpkin (Potimarron), deseeded and diced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 eggs
- 200 ml crème fraîche or sour cream
- 100 g goat cheese log (e.g., Crottin de Chavignol or Sainte-Maure)
- 1 tsp thyme (fresh or dried)
- Salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste
🥄 Preparation
- Prepare the dough:
Mix flour, butter, and salt in a bowl. Use your fingers or a dough hook to work into crumbs. Add egg and water and knead into a smooth dough.
Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. - Prepare the pumpkin:
Cut Hokkaido (with skin!) into cubes. Heat olive oil in a pan, sauté onion, then add pumpkin. Simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat until soft. Lightly season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. - Mix the filling:
In a bowl, whisk eggs and crème fraîche. Add thyme, salt, and pepper. Then gently fold in the cooked pumpkin. - Roll out the dough:
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a round shape (about 3 mm thick) and line a quiche pan (Ø 26 cm) with it. Prick the base several times with a fork. - Fill and top:
Spread the pumpkin-egg mixture on the dough. Slice the goat cheese and arrange evenly on top. - Bake:
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C (fan 160 °C) for about 40 minutes until golden brown, the filling is set, and the cheese is lightly browned. - Serve:
Let cool slightly to allow the flavors to develop. Best served with a green salad with honey-mustard dressing.
🍷 Wine Recommendation
A dry white wine pairs wonderfully with the creamy pumpkin and goat cheese – for example a Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé or a light Côtes du Rhône blanc.
For red wine lovers, a Pinot Noir is an excellent choice.
🧺 Shopping List (for Instacart or Amazon Fresh)
Vegetables & Herbs:
- 1 Hokkaido pumpkin (approx. 500 g)
- 1 small onion
- Fresh thyme (or dried)
- Nutmeg (ground)
Dairy & Eggs:
- 100 g goat cheese log
- 200 ml crème fraîche or sour cream
- 1 egg (for the dough)
- 3 eggs (for the filling)
- 125 g butter
Dry Goods:
- 250 g flour
- Salt, pepper
- Olive oil
Optional:
- Green salad as a side dish
- White wine for cooking or serving 🍷