Equipment: 22 cm or 9” loose-bottomed tart tin
Ingredients:
For the Higgidy shortcrust pastry:
200g plain flour
A generous pinch of salt
100g butter, well chilled and cut into small cubes
1 medium egg yolk, beaten
About 3 tablespoons ice-cold water
or
1 x 320g block of ready-made shop-bought shortcrust pastry
For the filling:
2 whole eggs
175ml double cream
125ml whole milk
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
A pinch of cayenne pepper
A generous pinch of white pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
175g Sussex Charmer cheese, grated
180g spinach, cooked
90g broad beans, podded
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Method:
1. To make the pastry: sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter cubes
and use your fingertips and thumbs to lightly rub it into the flour until the mixture
resembles breadcrumbs. Now add the beaten egg yolk and water and use a round-bladed
knife to combine the wet ingredients with the dry until the pastry comes together. Gather
it up with your hands and knead very briefly into a ball on a lightly floured surface. Wrap
it in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes before use.
2. Place the tart tin on a baking sheet and set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll
out the pastry into a circle a little larger than the top of the tin and approximately 5mm
thick.
3. Carefully lift the pastry into the tin and gently press into the corners, taking care not to
have any holes or the mixture could leak. Cover and rest for a further 30 minutes in the
fridge.
4. Pre-heat oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5.
5. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper. The best way to do this is to cut a disc of
greaseproof paper larger than the tin, scrunch it into a ball as this makes it more pliable,
then flatten it out and place it on top of the pastry case. It should sit above the sides of
the tart tin.
6. Top the greaseproof paper with baking beans or uncooked rice and blind bake in the
oven for 20 - 25 minutes until nicely golden and dry to the touch. Carefully remove the
greaseproof paper and baking beans before returning to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C /140°C fan/gas mark 3.
8. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl, add the cream, milk, tarragon, cayenne pepper
and seasoning and beat gently until you have a lovely creamy mixture.
9. Scatter half of the cheese in the blind-baked base and top with the spinach, broad beans
and lemon zest.
10. Add the remaining cheese before pouring over the liquid mixture. If required, gently give
the mixture a delicate stir to ensure the filling is evenly dispersed whilst being careful not
to damage the pastry case.
11. Place into the oven and bake for 40 - 45 mins until the filling has set and is very lightly
golden. Allow the quiche to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
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