For this recipe we will have to make a shortcrust pastry. I do not usually buy any pastry even if they are just few quids as I rather much doing things myself and decide exactly how I want it specifically. Playing with the ingredients ( more flour or more butter) you will be able to get the exact consistency that you are looking for ( you will find it by doing so time over time and perfecting your doses for this recipe), plus if you are looking ( as myself) for a healthier version of the same dish, you will be able to do this as well as by adding less butter for example.
However you can skip this part and buy a shortcrust pastry in the shop ( But I will feel it, and I will judge you for this! ahaha just joking..... or not).
Let's go in the kitchen now!
Doses for 4 portions
INGREDIENTS for the pastry
- 200 g plain flour
- 100 g butter or spreadable, margarine
- 50 g iced water
- salt
INGREDIENTS for the filling
- two carrots
- 1 courgette
- 1 potato
- 1 egg ( for a vegan option you can skip this and substitute with 30-60 mls of soy milk)
- grated Parmigiano or cheddar (optional)
( this recipe can be made with any vegetable you want!)
EQUIPMENTS
- bowl
- cake thin oven proof
PROCEDURE for the pastry
1) measure 50 g of water then put the glass in the freezer (better option) or in the fridge if you have more time
2) Add to the flour the butter (I used margarine spreadable in my recipe) together.
2) Add to the mix roughly a teaspoon of salt.
3) Add the iced water.
4) Now we will get a bit dirty! Start mixing with your hands to make a dough.
If you use the margarine compare to the butter it will be a bit harder to do so as the spreadable is much more creamy than the butter therefore your dough will be quite sticky to your hands and the bowl too so you might end up needing a bit more flour to be able to mix it properly to form a dough.
Also the point of using iced water is that the cold water make sure the butter will not melt down with the heat of the hands making harder to form a proper dough. In fact this step should be very quick and should be put in the fridge as soon as possible. Come itself that using something that is already partially melted as a spreadable, makes the things harder! but not impossible so if you struggle...add a bit more flour and it will be fine!
5) Once this is done, cover the bowl with your dough and put in the fridge until you will need it for the rest of the recipe
PROCEDURE for the filling
This is quite up to you to be honest. You can decide to cook the vegetables as you prefer, steam, pan fry, in the oven.
This time I was quite in a rush and wanted to make a quick tasty and healthy dinner so I opted for the boiling solution, but of course the taste is much more light than if you opt for pan frying the vegetables in a pan instead, with a bit of onion and garlic.
1) cut the vegetables in 1-2 cm dices.
2) Put the potatoes and carrots to boil for about 6-10 minutes until the potatoes and carrots are soft ( Do not cook to much, it has to be just soft enough to stick a fork into it without breaking the all dice)
3) Add now the courgettes and cook for another 5 minutes.
4) Drain the vegetables and let it cool down
5) Add to the vegetables a pinch of salt, ad an egg
( The egg is not necessary you can add some soy milk for a vegan option. You only have to add the right amount just in order to see the potatoes becoming a bit sticky to the bowl. Mix all well and you will not need anything else!)
PROCEDURE for the quiche
1) Turn on the oven now so it will preheat ( 180 degrees)
2) Get the dough from the fridge. Sprinkle some flour on your kitchen table and with a rolling pin, roll the dough in a thin (0.5 cm) layer.
3) Put the pastry in a cake thin tray, making sure you put it quite centered as we will use the edges of the pastry to close the quiche.
4) Add the filling to the pastry
5) Grate some cheddar cheese, Parmigiano or mozzarella on top ( optional )
6) Close the edges in order to have a full covered filling. The dough we have made ( based on the size of your cake thin) will be bigger than what you need to just close it up. If so, cut them off or you will have too much pastry.
7) With a bit of milk brush the outer part of your quiche in order to make it properly golden
(I know this is usually done with an egg but this 2020 made me realize that eggs are overestimated in the kitchens! a bit of milk or soy milk will give the same effects!)
8) Put the quiche in the oven for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees until is golden! ( or like mine until is almost burned...I got distracted while cooking...sorry! ahaha)
Now your dish is ready! Who want a slice???
SUGGESTIONS
-Alida's deepest secrets: As I had quite a lot of pastry left, I made some interesting starters:
I took some closed up small mushrooms from the fridge, wash them sprinkled with some salt and parsley and rolled with the pastry ( like tiny sausage rolls but with mushrooms. As mushrooms take very little to cook, they do not require to be pre-cooked before being rolled and cooked in the oven!)
You can also do the same by rolling some cheddar cubes or little mozzarella if you have them!
As they also cook quicker then the quiche, so you can have a great tasty starter while waiting for you quiche to be ready! This is what "aperitivo" is all about: pour some wine, have a snack and wait for dinner time!
ENJOY!
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