Brie and broccoli quiche recipe

As part of our continuing series on what to do with all the eggs you might be getting from a home-kept flock of hens, we’re turning our attention to quiche. At its simplest level, quiche is an omelette in a flan case, filled with whatever ingredients you want. The most common is probably quiche lorraine, which includes bacon and onions and is topped with gruyere cheese or Cheddar, but this vegetarian alternative switches them for broccoli and tomato puree and tops things off with brie.

Ingredients
300g (10.5oz) of pastry
200g (7oz) wedge of brie
150ml milk
5 eggs
8 – 10 broccoli florets freshly cut from the head
Tomato puree

Equipment list
Non-stick flan dish
Egg whisk
Knives
Pan or steamer

Method
Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit) and line a deep flan dish with your pastry. This should have been rolled out until it is around 5mm thick. Prick this with a fork across the base so that it cooks evenly.

Squeeze half a tube of tomato puree onto the base and spread it evenly using the back of a spoon so that it covers all of the flat surface without going up the sides. This is by far the strongest flavour in your quiche, so avoid the temptation to spread too thickly or you’ll not taste the broccoli or brie.

Now briefly cook your broccoli to soften it, by either steaming or boiling it for four minutes. Remove it from the pan and drop into cold water to stop it cooking, then drain and arrange it on your base.

Mix together your eggs and milk, whisking well to combine them until you can no longer see the difference between the two, and pour this into your case, making sure you pour it over the florets so that the eggy mixture cooks inside them. If you can’t fit all of the mixture into the case, don’t worry. Quiche has a tendency to rise slightly in the oven and if you fill right to the brim it will spill over and make a mess, so it is better to have a little left over than to take it right to the top.

Now slice your brie into strips and lay them on top of the mixture. Once well covered, place it in the oven and cook for 35 minutes or until the top is golden. When done, remove it and allow to cool for five or ten minutes, as quiche is best eaten when it has been allowed to set a little.

This freezes very well if you have any left over, and can be reheated once or eaten cold.

Related posts:

1. Beetroot and Broccoli
2. How to make treacle tart
3. Broccoli!
4. Easy shortbread recipe
5. How to make mince pies, the easy way

Tagged as: baking, cooking