1 hr 45 mins plus resting
Not Too Tricky
serves 12
About the recipe
This is a delicious expression of all that lovely, fresh spring produce out there – with crispy, buttery pastry and bombs of goat’s cheese, it’s incredible!
Ingredients
300g asparagus
100g frozen peas
150g baby spinach
4 spring onions
optional: 4 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
6 large free-range eggs
200ml double cream
200ml semi-skimmed milk
1 bunch of fresh chives (20g)
150g goat’s cheese
PASTRY
300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
SHOP JAMIE'S SERVEWARE
Method
- To make the pastry, sift the flour and a good pinch of sea salt into a bowl, then cube and rub in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add 90ml of cold water, continuously mixing until it comes together to form a rough dough, adding a splash more water, if needed. Bring it together with your hands, wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Snap off and discard the woody ends from the asparagus, then slice the stalks into 1cm chunks, reserving the tips. Blanch the asparagus (including the tips) and peas in a pan of boiling salted water for 1 minute, then drain. Roughly chop and stir in the spinach so it wilts slightly, then refresh the veg under cold running water. Drain well and place into a large bowl. Trim, finely slice and add the spring onions.
- Finely slice the bacon (if using), then place in a frying pan on a medium-high heat and fry for 5 minutes, or until golden, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk in the cream, milk and a good pinch of black pepper. Chop and stir in the chives.
- On a flour-dusted surface, roll out the rested dough to roughly ½cm thick. Roll the pastry up around the rolling pin, then carefully unroll it to cover a Proper Pie Dish. Gently press the pastry into the dish, moulding it to the tin as you go (don’t worry if it breaks – patch up any holes with spare pastry).
- Trim away any overhanging pastry, line your pastry case with a large sheet of scrunched-up damp greaseproof paper, pushing it right into the sides. Fill nearly to the top with uncooked rice or beans, then bake in the oven for 12 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove the rice or beans and greaseproof, then return the tart case to the oven for a further 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
- Spoon the greens into the pastry case, scatter over the crispy bacon (if using), then pour in the cream mixture and crumble over the goat’s cheese. Bake the quiche in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until just set. Leave to cool slightly, then serve with a crisp green salad.
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