Semmelknödel (German Bread Dumplings) vs Quiche Lorraine: The Quintessential French Savory Tart

Both dishes rely on milk, egg, onion, nutmeg and black pepper, yet put them to very different work. In the Semmelknödel, lukewarm milk and eggs soak into cubes of stale bread rolls with butter-softened onion and parsley, and the dumplings are gently poached until springy. The quiche whisks eggs with heavy cream and milk into a custard, poured over crispy smoked bacon and softened onion in a blind-baked shortcrust shell and baked until just set. One is a soft, herb-flecked accompaniment; the other a rich, smoky tart with a golden base.