Vegetable Quiche

I made this quiche for lunch today to use up some vegetables that were lurking in the fridge and store cupboard.  It was delicious and served 5 of us generously.  You could vary the vegetables and herbs you use to suit what you have on hand.

Vegetable Quiche

For the pastry:

225g plain white flour

pinch salt

110g cold unsalted butter, cubed

1 medium free range egg yolk

Cold water

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.  Add the butter and rub into the flour until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.  Add the egg yolk and a little water.

I add a tablespoon of cold water then add more, if necessary, a teaspoonful at a time.  Mix to a firm dough and press out to a disc shape.  Wrap the dough in cling film and leave it to rest in the fridge for half an hour before you attempt to roll it out.

For the filling:

1 Tblsp olive oil

1 red onion, finely diced

1 pepper, diced

3 small courgettes, finely sliced

200g tinned or frozen sweetcorn

4 free range eggs

2 Tblsp chopped fresh mint

Preheat your oven to 200C/180C Fan.  Roll out the pastry into a circle about 0.5cm/5mm thick.  Line a greased loose based tart tin with the pastry, mine measures 25cm in diameter.  Line the pastry case with non-stick baking paper and baking beans or dried rice and blind bake it for 15 minutes.  Leave to cool whilst you prepare the filling before removing the baking beans and paper.

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan.  Add the onion, pepper, courgettes and sweetcorn.  Cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.  Pour the vegetables into the blind baked pastry case.

Beat together the eggs, mint and a few grinds of pepper and a large pinch of salt.  Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and bake the quiche for 25 - 30 minutes or until set and golden brown.