When the warm days finally arrive this summer quiche is perfect for al fresco dining.
For the pastry
175g Plain Flour
45g Butter
40g Lard
2 - 3 tbsp Ice Cold Water
Pinch of salt
For the Filling
250g Cheddar
5 Free Range Eggs
150ml Milk
2 Large Courgettes
Couple of sprigs of Thyme
1 Large Tomato
The key to a good pastry is to keep the ingredients and your fingers as cold as possible whilst making it. Sliced the chilled butter and lard into small cubes. Add them to a large bowl with the flour and salt. Gently rub the butter into the flour using just the tips of your fingers until you form breadcrumbs. Now slowly add the cold water a bit at a time gently squeezing the mixture together until you form a ball of dough. Cover the dough and leave it in the fridge to chill.
Meanwhile thinly slice your courgettes into strips, I use mandolin to get them nice and thin and then sauté them in some butter with the thyme to soften them. Season them to taste.
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees for a fan
Remove the dough from the fridge, roll it out to line a greased 22cm flan dish, use a cut off of the pastry rolled into a ball to push it into the fluted edge. Place the dish back in the fridge to chill for another 5 mins.
Remove the dish from the fridge, line with baking paper and fill with baking beans and bake blind for 20 mins. Remove the paper and beans and bake for another 5 mins.
Mix together the eggs, milk and cheese in a bowl and season.
Take the pastry from the oven, fill the base with the softened courgettes, pour over the egg mixture and layer the top with slices of tomatoes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 160 degrees and bake the whole quiche for another 25 mins.
Comments