The ultimate spring quiche
Seasonal and tasty
1 hr 45 mins plus resting
Not Too Tricky
serves 10
About the recipe
This is a delicious expression of all that lovely, fresh spring produce out there – with bombs of goat’s cheese and crispy bacon, it’s incredible!
Ingredients
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g asparagus
100g fresh peas and broad beans, podded
75g baby spinach
2 spring onions
optional: 4 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
4 large free-range eggs
150ml double cream
150ml semi-skimmed milk
½ a bunch of fresh chives
75g goat’s cheese
For the pastry:
300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed
Method
- To make the pastry, sift the flour and a good pinch of salt into a bowl, then rub in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add 125ml of cold water, continuously mixing until it comes together to form a rough dough, adding a splash more water, if needed. Bring it together with your hands, wrap well and place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Snap off and discard the woody ends from the asparagus, then slice the stalks into 1cm chunks, reserving the tips. Blanch the asparagus (including the tips), peas and broad beans in a pan of boiling salted water for 1 minute, then drain. Roughly chop and stir in the spinach so it wilts slightly, then refresh the veg under cold running water. Drain well and place into a large bowl. Trim, finely slice and add the spring onions.
- Finely slice the bacon (if using), then add to a frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry for 5 minutes, or until golden, turning occasionally. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk in the cream, milk and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Chop and stir in the chives.
- On a flour-dusted surface, roll out the rested dough to roughly ½cm thick. Roll the pastry up around the rolling pin, then carefully unroll it to cover a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Gently press the pastry into the tart tin, moulding it to the tin as you go (don’t worry if it breaks – patch up any holes with spare pastry).
- Trim away any overhanging pastry, then line with a sheet of scrunched-up damp greaseproof paper, pushing it right into the sides. Fill nearly to the top with uncooked rice or beans, then bake in the oven for 12 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove the rice or beans and greaseproof paper, then return the tart case to the oven for a further 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
- Spoon the greens into the pastry case, put the bacon pieces on top, pour in the cream mixture and crumble over the goat’s cheese. Place the quiche in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until just set. Leave to cool slightly, then serve with a crisp green salad.
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