Quiche in less than 30 minutes.
This is as easy to make as it is tasty. Although it is true that you need to multi-task a little.
It is also not that easy to get it wrong, and there are no real set rules for what fillings you use.
Other than the pastry, the egg, and the cream, you can change everything according to your personal preferences. You can make a vegetarian version by simply replacing the ham with extra vegetables, e.g fried artichokes.
INGREDIENTS
1 sheet of shortcrust pastry,
1 onion,
1 leek,
grated cheese,
2 slices of ham cut in strips,
3 eggs,
single cream,
1 tomato,
salt, pepper, butter and olive oil.
STEPS
1)Grease a baking dish with butter ( a dish with a removable base is best).
Place the pastry over the dish and mould it into shape, trimming the edges, then fill it with dried beans (any type will do). This will stop the pastry from bubbling whilst it bakes. This is called blind-baking.
Place the dish in the centre of a pre-heated oven at 180°c for 10 minutes.
2)While the pastry bakes, chop the onion and the leeks and slow-fry them over a medium/low flame, in a covered frying pan with 3 knobs of butter and 2 spoons of oil, for about eight minutes.
Whilst the pastry bakes and the vegetables slow-fry, beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the ham, the cream, the grated cheese, a pinch of salt and pepper, and stir well.
3)When the pastry has been in the oven ten minutes, remove it, empty the beans into a bottle for storage (you can re-use these whenever you need to blind-bake), and leave to cool whilst the vegetable finish frying.
Do not turn the oven off.
Once the onions become transparent, remove the pan from the flame, and empty the contents into the bowl with the egg mix.
Stir well, then pour the mix into the pastry dish, decorate with tomato slices, and grind a little pepper over the surface.
Place the dish in the oven for about ten minutes, by which time the mixture should be firm yet spongy, and golden brown.
Remove from the oven, and SERVE !!!
