Michelle Darmody: How to make the perfect quiche with no soggy bottom
Now is the ideal time to make quiche loaded with spring vegetables
Spring is on its way and that means that the crocuses and snowdrops are pushing their way through the earth and various herbs are beginning to appear in pots and gardens around the country. I have used herbs and young green leaves to decorate the quiche and the pink beetroot hummus. They are simple little follies to cheer up the dining table and you can easily make the recipes without if you wish.
When you make the pastry tart for the quiche it is advisable to keep the butter very cold and to cool the pastry down before rolling it out. This ensures a nice crispness to the pastry. The edges can be pinched into place before baking. Or if you prefer, the pastry can be left a little larger than the tin and then cut to shape after it is baked. If using this method, it is good to trim it straight away when it is removed from the oven and still warm, if it cools at all it will be very difficult to shape.
Beetroot adds a delicious earthiness to hummus - a welcome pop of colour on any table. Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Total Time Course Ingredients For the hummus: 400g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 250g roasted beetroot, chopped 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1 tbsp tahini 2 tbsp olive oil the zest of a lemon and ½ tbsp of juice For the breads: 300g plain flour 2 generous pinches of sea salt 150mls warm water 3 tbs olive oil ½ tsp nigella seeds To serve: a drizzle of olive oil a small handful of canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed edible flowers Method Vigorously rub the chickpeas in a clean tea towel to remove as many of the skins as possible. You can omit this step if you wish but it does result in a smoother hummus. Place the chickpeas into a liquidiser with the roasted beetroot, garlic, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice. If it is very dry add a little more oil. Taste and season. Mix the flour and the salt in a large bowl and drizzle in the water mixing slowly until combined. Add in the oil in the same way until a dough is beginning to form. Sprinkle in the nigella seeds and knead for about five minutes until it is smooth. Divide the dough into nine balls and leave to stand for about 10 minutes. Roll each ball on a lightly floured surface, moving it around as you do so it does not stick to your work surface. They should be quite thin. Heat a heavy-based frying pan and rub it with a little olive oil. Fry each bread one at a time and sprinkle with a little more sea salt as you remove them from the pan. Serve warm with the hummus.Flatbread with beetroot hummus
Use very cold butter when making the pastry for a crispy result Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Total Time Course Cuisine Ingredients For the pastry: 175g plain flour ½ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp cracked black pepper a pinch of salt 100g cold butter, cubed 1 egg yolk — keep the white to seal the pastry For the filling: 150g onion, peeled and finely diced a knob of butter 100g soft goat's cheeses, cut into small pieces 100g comté or gouda cheese, grated 200mls crème fraîche 200mls cream 3 eggs, lightly beaten To decorate: a handful of peas sprigs of herbs baby green leaves such as lettuces and spinach edible flowers Method Mix the salt, pepper and nutmeg into the flour and rub in the butter until it looks like rough breadcrumbs. Add the yolk and bring the pastry together. Place it into the fridge until it has firmed up — it will take at least an hour. Preheat your oven to 200°C and grease and line a 9-inch tart case. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a disk about 14 cm in diameter. Sit this gently into your prepared tin. Pinch the sides so it fits snugly. Bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the baking beans and parchment and brush the pastry with the egg white. Place back into the oven for another five minutes without any parchment or beans on top, then set it aside. To make the filling, sauté the onions in the butter until they are completely translucent. It is worth taking your time here as cooking them slowly will make them sweeter. Season the onions and set aside. Whisk the crème fraîche, cream and eggs. Scoop the onion and goat's cheese into the pastry base. Pour the crème fraîche filling on top and sprinkle it with the gouda. Very gently slide this into your oven. Lower the heat to 180°C. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the centre is set but not fully firm. Allow to cool in the tin. You can either serve it warm or cold. Decorate it with the peas, flowers and baby lettuce leaves to make a spring garden.Spring quiche
