Cherry tomato and chive quiche

Is it a quiche? Is it a tart? Is it a flan? I really don't know - for many years, I thought the only true quiche was Quiche Lorraine, complete with bacon and cream, but nowadays just about anything in an open pastry case gets labelled as one, so I'll go with the flow....... Call it what you will, it's the taste that counts!

This is another post for the Farmer's Choice blogging team  and this time I have used eggs, milk, butter and some gorgeous tomatoes that they sent me.

 

 

This summery dish would be ideal for a picnic or a party in the garden.

 

Cherry tomato and chive quiche

This needs a 28 cm flan tin. It will make 6-8 main meal servings, or on a picnic or buffet spread can be cut into 12-16 slices.

for the pastry

250g plain flour

125g cold butter, diced

pinch of salt

water to mix

for the filling

1 punnet (350g) large cherry tomatoes

3 large eggs

250ml semi skimmed milk

130g Cheddar cheese

small bunch of chives

seasoning

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and cut the butter into it with a knife until all the pieces are covered in flour. Then rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it is all blended in (TIP: shake the bowl from time to time – and unmixed lumps will rise to the top.) Use the knife again to stir in cold water a little at a time until the dough comes together and is soft and manageable.

Wrap  the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile,  grease your tin and line the base with non-stick paper.

Prepare your filling ingredients – beat the eggs and milk together with salt and black pepper. Adding the salt before you start to beat will help the eggs to break down into the milk. Finely grate the cheese, chop the chives and halve the tomatoes.

Remove pastry dough from fridge and roll out to fit your flan tin. Carefully place it in the tin but don’t trim the edges, prick the bottom a few times then line with a piece of scrunched up greaseproof paper. Fill the paper with  a single layer of baking beans, spreading them evenly to help keep the base flat and the sides upright. (You can buy ceramic beans intended for this, but I use a packet of dried chickpeas which are much cheaper. They can be saved in a jar and reused for many years, but remember to label the jar “Do not eat”!) Place the pastry shell back in the fridge to chill while the oven heats up.

Heat the oven to 220C (200 fan),  425F gas mark 7. Place the pastry in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, then lift out the paper and beans and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until golden.

Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 190C (170 fan), 375F, gas mark 5. Trim excess pastry from around the top of the flan case to leave the top edge flush with the rim of the tin.

Spread about two thirds of the grated cheese over the base of the case and then arrange the tomato halves, cut face upwards, over it. Pour in the egg and milk mixture around the tomatoes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, followed by the chives.

 

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the filling is set and the cheese is golden.

 

Serve hot, cold or – my favourite way – lukewarm.