Salmon Quiche

To make the pastry using a food processor, blitz the flour and butter into breadcrumbs with the blade attachment. Whilst pulsing the machine in short bursts, dribble in icy cold water until the pastry JUST comes together. (To make the pastry by hand, rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips, then add icy cold water until the pastry just comes together using a blunt knife). Pat into a flat circle shape, wrap the pastry in clingfilm and refrigerate for an hour.

Line a 26cm loose bottomed quiche tin with the pastry, rolling to about 3mm thick, using a little extra flour for rolling. Trim the edges (roll a rolling pin over the top to quickly do this) and chill or freeze if possible for another 30 minutes. Then pop greaseproof paper into the shell, fill with baking beans or uncooked rice and bake in a preheated oven at 200C/fan 190C/Gas 6 for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, then bake for another 10 minutes until the bottom of the pastry shell is fully cooked. Remove from the oven.

Very lightly whisk together the eggs, cream and black pepper, pour into the pastry shell and arrange pieces of torn smoked salmon evenly over the top. Scatter the asparagus and lastly sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown and well set. Leave to cool on a wire rack or serve warm. Refrigerate any leftovers.

(NB: Reduce the cooking time if making smaller quiches – check they are brown and well set before removing from the oven).

TIP:

Don’t over whisk the eggs before adding to a quiche or they will rise! A gentle stir with a fork to break up the eggs is all that’s needed.