Looking for a healthy, yet fun way to feed your kids? The quiche is now being considered by some mothers as one of the American recipes for kids (even though its origins really come from the French) that children actually eat. It's round, looks like a pie and reminds you of a pizza in pie form.

Not many know that although the quiche is mainly associated with the French, its roots took place in nearby Germany, in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen (under German rule then), and which the French later renamed Lorraine (hence the popularity of Quiche Lorraine. In fact, the word "quiche" itself is from the German word "Kuchen" which means "cake". The original Quiche Lorraine was an open pie with its filling consisting of an egg and cream custard mix with some smoked bacon.

Though it is the most common variety, you can make a lot of other variations. Here is one variant of a quiche:

Courgette Quiche

Ingredients (for the shortcrust pastry): 2 cups of plain flour, a pinch of salt, 4 ounces of cold butter (or a mixture of lard and butter), one-third cup of cold water to mix.

Procedure (for the shortcrust pastry): Sift flour and salt into bowl. Cut in better until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Gradually add water and mix to somewhat fairly stiff but pliable dough. Knead dough until smooth and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for an hour. Lightly flour work surface; roll out pastry fairly thin. Line a 10 inch greased fluted dish and trim top edges with a sharp knife. Chill for 15 minutes.

Ingredients (for the filling): 1-and-one-fourth pound of small courgettes (or zucchini), 4 cloves of garlic, 3 tablespoons sunflower (or corn) oil, 4 eggs, 3 and a half ounces of grated Cheddar cheese, 2 tablespoons of snipped fresh chives, 1 ounce of plain flour, 1 cup of milk.

Procedure: Preheat oven to 450 degrees Centigrade. Cut into 1 and one-fourth inch thick slices. Peel garlic and julienne. Heat oil and saute garlic. Stir in courgettes. Cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt. Cool. Prick pastry base with a fork. Separate 1 egg. Brush a little egg white over the fork holes. Cover with courgette and garlic mix, sprinkle with cheese and chives. In a small bowl, mix flour with a little of the milk until smooth. Put in remaining milk. Beat in remaining separated egg, and whole eggs. Season with salt. Pour onto quiche filling. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until set and golden brown.