My good friend, Robyn, and her two sisters came over for lunch the other day and as usual I had a treat in store for them. I was keen to use my brand spanking new loose bottom flan tin and what better opportunity than baking a tart?
As we were all bustling about in the kitchen all went well up to a point. Confidently I took the blind baked casing out of the oven and stupidly held it at its base. Next thing I knew I resembled one of those ancient Egyptian drawings where the slave holds a tray of food high in the air with a red-hot, oversized armband dangling on my forearm. Knowing that I had no spare shortcrust pastry available I resisted the immense temptation to chuck everything on the floor as quick as possible but within seconds with some help lifted the whole concoction back in place instead. Unfortunately, in the process the pastry took a beating, so please excuse the photo.
Literally scarred from the experience I haven’t baked with that darn flan tin again. That same week I also got burnt while ironing. Hell knows what I did wrong to deserve it.
But was it worth it? Oh yeah! In true Greedy Gourmet-style I must have eaten more than half of the quiche within the space of eight hours. It really was that good.
Recipe from BBC Good Food.
Cheese & Leek Quiche
Prep 25 minutes
Cook 45 minutes
Total 70 minutes
Author: Michelle Minnaar
Ingredients
- 500g (2lb) pack shortcrust pastry, fresh or frozen and defrosted
- 50g (2oz) butter
- 1kg (2lb 4oz) leeks, trimmed, thinly sliced and washed
- 425ml (¾ pint) whipping cream
- 4 eggs
- 200g (8oz) hard, crumbly cheese like Cheshire, grated
Instructions
- Heat oven to 200°C (fan 180°C/400°F/gas 6). On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to line a 30x20cm rectangular or 30cm round loose bottom flan tin, saving any leftover scraps. Prick the base well and bake covered with a sheet of greaseproof paper and weighed down with beans, rice or ceramic baking beans, for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the leeks and stir until well coated. Season to taste, then fry gently for 10 minutes until softened and all liquid has evaporated. Allow to cool a little. Then mix the cream and eggs together, seasoning well, then stir in the leeks and cheese.
- Tip the filling into the prepared pastry case, making sure the leeks are evenly spread. Bake for 30 minutes until the tart is lightly browned, but still slightly wobbly in the centre. Serve warm or cold.
Recipe Notes
- I enjoyed a crisp, green leafy salad with red pepper, cucumber, pecans and vinaigrette with this tart.
If your pastry case has any holes or cracks in it, use the scraps of uncooked pastry to patch them up. Brush well with egg white and seal it thoroughly. Then return it to the oven for another 3 minutes to dry the egg white.
This tart is best made on the day, but you can bake the pastry and make the filling the day before, then fill and bake on the day. Leave the pastry covered in cling film in the kitchen and store the filling in the fridge.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 serving
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
Calories 551 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Total Fat 38.8g | 60% | |
Saturated Fat 14.2g | 71% | |
Sodium 235mg | 10% | |
Total Carbohydrates 36.8g | 12% | |
Dietary Fiber 1.2g | 5% | |
Sugars 7.8g | ||
Protein 10.4g | 6% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
saving this for future use and consumption. 🙂 Thanks!
‘Tis an excellent recipe and one I have made several times before, I’m not surprised you loved it.
Wow, fantastic recipe! Used it twice now – I must say it’s perfect. 🙂 Thanks!
The results of my second, and definitely better of the two: http://yfrog.com/0927082009055j
I made this tonight! So yummy.
I used a regular pie plate for it because that’s all I have. It still worked out great I just had to cook it for about 10 extra minutes! I just burned my tongue on it because I didn’t want to let it cool, besides that it was awesome!!!
Made this quiche and wow, myself and my daughter really enjoy this dish. We even had second helpings.
I have freeze the rest for another day.