Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Tomato & Goats Cheese Quiche

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been fond of a quiche, it was always a childhood favourite growing up… cheese & pastry, what’s not to love?(yes, i was always a little plump growing up). Ever present at buffets, picnics & parties, it’s clearly much loved amongst us all as it seems to be the dish for someone to bring or make here in the UK.

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The beauty of quiche I suppose, is that it can be enjoyed throughout any season, using up whatever your gluts are at that time of year or to simply show of your seasonal ingredients. It’s a real winner for using up any leftovers or scraps you’ve got laying around the kitchen, so long as you have a few eggs, some cheese & milk or cream then you’re good to go!

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If you ask me though, it’s particularly good when eaten al fresco during the summer months (although, most things are!), hot or cold, it really doesn’t matter… so long as it’s there. I find quiche a particularly good recipe to have in your arsenal during the summertime though as we usually find ourselves with plenty (often too much) summer veggies to use up.

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That’s exactly where this recipe was born, from a need to use up some homegrown veggies. Admittedly, I found myself with a rather random harvest consisting of a handful of plum tomatoes, some sprigs of purple sprouting broccoli & a hell of a lot of parsley.

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Let’s just say there’s never a lack of cheese or eggs in my kitchen (particularly the cheese, I almost have a problem) so naturally I turned to the humble quiche as my saviour dish. I’ve opted for the intense, creamy flavour of goats cheese here which balances so well with the fresh delicateness of the broccoli & the sweet, concentrated taste of tomato. A little onion & flat leaf parsley add a little bit of clean, peppery balance & colour to the filling.

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The result is a fresh & colourful summer quiche that is bursting with flavour. I suspect this won’t the be last my little kitchen sees of the quiche throughout the summer as my beloved kitchen garden continues to burst with life & I inadvertently become veggie for the foreseeable.

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PURPLE SPROUTING BROCCOLI, TOMATO & GOATS CHEESE QUICHE
(makes one 22cm tart)

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

  • 125g plain flour
  • 100g wholemeal flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 113g butter, cubed
  • 3-4 tbsp cold water

For the filling:

  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 200ml double cream
  • 85ml milk
  • 180g goats cheese
  • 100g purple sprouting broccoli
  • 10 plum tomatoes, halved
  • Handful of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • Good pinch of salt & pepper

Method:

  • To make the pastry sift together the flours & salt into a large bowl
  • Add in the cubed butter & use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs
  • Add the water to the bowl 1 tbsp at a time until, using just enough to bring the dough together
  • Shape the dough into a flattened disc, wrap in cling film & leave in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes
  • Once the pastry has chilled, roll out to approximately 3mm thick and use it to line the base & sides of a 23cm tart tin, leave any excess to hang over the edge of the tin
  • Use a fork to pierce holes in the bottom of the pastry case before lining with baking parchment & fill this with baking beans
  • Place the tart case back in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes
  • Once chilled, blind bake the pastry case for 15 minutes at 180°C
  • Remove the baking beans & parchment & return the case to the oven for a further 5 minutes, until it starts to turn golden
  • Remove the case from the oven & whilst still warm, use a sharp knife to trim away off any excess pastry before setting aside to cool
  • To make the filling, begin by frying the onion over a medium heat until softened
  • Slice the goats cheese into rounds, reserve 3 -4 rounds & set aside before chopping up the remaining cheese
  • Place the onion, chopped goats cheese, egg, cream, milk, all but 3-4 of the tomatoes, broccoli, parsley & seasoning into a large jug & mix everything together
  • Carefully pour the filling into the pastry case
  • Place the remaining cheese slices & tomatoes on top of the quiche
  • Bake the quiche at 180C for25-30 minutes, until the filling is starting to colour along the edges & the quiche is set in the middle (give it a shake to test)
  • Allow the quiche to cool completely before removing from the tin

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