So. Auntie Phyllis. Who wasn’t my auntie, but lived next door and always wore a flowery apron. She taught me to make quiche, I must only have been ten. She taught me pastry, and how to make a cracking (unintended egg pun, do excuse me) filling. 

If you’ve read my blog Let there be cake! then you’ll know I have always been rather more of a savoury soul. And as someone who became a veggie before I was in double figures age wise, quiche was always rather a staple in my diet. 

But. I. Hate. Shop. Bought. Quiche. 

Bleurgh. Even the best ones from good shops taste absolutely nothing like homemade and the rustic made by your own fair hand ones at a buffet or bbq are always the first thing to go whilst the foil encased Sparks & Mensa ones sit there like the last kid that nobody wants to pick for their rounders team.

What’s that I hear you say? I can’t make pastry? 

Do not give me that. Seriously. I’m talking two ingredients here. And you don’t need anything in the way of equipment. I always make my pastry by hand, just because I always have I guess. It’s so bloomin’ easy I can’t believe I’m actually giving away my trade secrets here.

  
175g plain flour, sieved

85g cold (straight from the fridge) butter cut into little lumps

Put butter in flour. Add a pinch of salt. Grate in some Parmesan if you’re feeling really daring. Rub with your finger tips until it’s all breadcrumby. 

  
Then put a tablespoon of water in and mix and knead. But it should only take a few minutes. 

Then pop into a floured worktop and roll out. Now I don’t turn pastry over when I’m rolling it, I turn it a quarter turn after every few rolls. Hence a floured worktop needed. Roll into a rough circle, then lift on your rolling pin and place over the quiche dish. 

  
A few cracks don’t matter now, so just push into the base edge all the way around and then trim the top around roughly to shape with a knife or scissors. Then fold the top in on itself all the way around so you get a perfect crust. And squash and holes full with a piece of the excess. 

  
Then pop in some grease proof and some baking beans and stick into the fridge to chill for half an hour. That stops the pastry shrinking when it cooks. Don’t try and shortcut this bit out or you’ll regret it.

  
So while that’s chillin’ 😎 you can go and knit a few rows of that blanket I know you’re making and think about your filling. Again it’s a matter of what’s around in this house but today it’s goats cheese and courgette. I’m cooking off the courgette with some mixed herbs and olive oil and seasoning just until translucent with a little bit of colour to them.

 
Take the pastry out of the fridge and pop into the oven at 180ish complete with the greaseproof and beans. Then after twenty minutes or so you’ll see your pastry starting to colour around the edges. Take it out of the oven and fill with whatever you choose. As I said we are doing goats cheese and the courgettes today. I like to spread the cheese as a layer so you get the flavour in every bite. 
  
Top with the courgette then go beat your eggs – five or six large or perhaps seven small. Season. Then place the dish on the oven shelf and pour in the egg from there do you’re not carrying a runny eggy dish and spilling it all over the edges.

And BAKE…

Maybe 30 minutes. Until golden brown. Keep watching it in the last moments and turn 180 degrees to get an even golden bake. I’ve used our amazing Jimmy eggs again and they’re so glorious and golden, it really looks like something to behold. A few new potatoes and that’s dinner done for tonight. I’m ahead of time so I’m off to stoke the fire and try and finish that blanket I’m working on.

  
Take home messages? Don’t be scared of pastry. Don’t buy quiche in a shop. 

Toodlepip 😘