Zucchini Quiche

Pastry

1 1/4c/185g plain flour

110g butter, cut into cubes

1/4c/ 60ml cold water

Filling

1 tbsp olive oil

2 medium zucchinis (around 450g) sliced into 1 cm slices

2 spring onions, roughly chopped

3 eggs

2/3c/160ml milk

½ c/50g cheese, grated

1/2 c/ 100g corn

Tbsp fresh basil and thyme, a mixture of the two, optional

Black pepper

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Make the pastry – in a mixing bowl add the butter to the flour and lightly rub in with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and with a blunt knife, gently bring the pastry together, then finish off with your hands, trying to work the dough as little as possible. You may need to add a drop or two more water if there are still a lot of crumbs of flour. Once the dough is just combined, wrap in clingwrap and place in fridge for at least half an hour (you can make it up to 2 days before you want to cook the quiche, or freeze for up to a month).

Preheat the oven to 190˚C/370˚F

Roll out the pastry on a gently floured work surface. Sprinkle the top with flour and roll out the pastry to a 27cm round. Gently roll the pastry so it wraps around the rolling pin then lift this over to your dish. Unroll it over your 23cm/9” pie tin. Trim the edges. If there are any tears in the pastry, dab a little water around the edges of the hole, and then press a pastry scrap into the hole.

Prick the base lightly with a fork then line it with a large piece of baking paper and fill with some rice or cooking beans. Place in oven for 25 minutes until very light brown.

Whilst that’s cooking prepare the filling.

Fry the sliced zucchini and spring onion in the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium to high heat for 3 minutes each side. You want them to have a some colour – this gives them flavour.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs and the milk together with a fork, then add the grated cheese, herbs and black pepper.

Once the pastry is cooked, remove from the oven and turn the oven down to 170˚C. Carefully lift the corners of the baking parchment and lift out of your case (taking care as the beans/rice will be very hot).

Spread the tsp Dijon mustard over the base, then sprinkle over the zucchini and spring onion mixture and the sweetcorn before carefully pouring the egg mixture over.

Place back in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly golden and puffed up.

Leave in the dish for at least 10 minutes to cool. Best served at room temperature.