Picnic Quiches Recipes

QUICHE

Steps:

• This recipe works great as a stand-alone dish, but also as a component in Jamie's Picnic Love from Together - see the full collection of menus here.
• GET AHEAD You can make this all on the day, if you prefer. Equally, you can cook the whole thing the night before, and enjoy cold. Whatever works for you! Put the flour, butter and a pinch of sea salt into a food processor and pulse for 15 seconds, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add 4 tablespoons of water and pulse for a few more seconds until it comes together. Scoop on to a flour-dusted work surface and push and pat into a round - don't be tempted to knead it. Wrap and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Lightly oil a non-stick loose-bottomed tart tin (25cm diameter, 4cm deep). Roll out the pastry on a flour-dusted surface, turning it every so often, until it's just under ½cm thick. Gently roll it up around the rolling pin, then unroll it over the oiled tin and ease it into the sides, letting the excess pastry overhang. Prick the base all over with a fork, place on a baking tray, then bake blind for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool, trim off the excess pastry, and store in an airtight container
• Prep your chosen veg - peel, carefully halve and deseed the squash, then dice into 2cm chunks, or clean and slice the mushrooms. Put a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Peel and finely slice the onion and garlic, then place in the pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add your chosen veg and cook for 30 minutes, or until soft and starting to caramelize, stirring occasionally and adding splashes of water to prevent it sticking, if needed. Season to perfection, then leave to cool. Tip into a blender, crack in the eggs, add the cream and grate in the Cheddar, then blitz until smooth, cover and refrigerate overnight.
• ON THE DAY Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Pour the filling into the pastry case, then crumble over the goat's cheese. Rub the thyme sprigs with a little oil, then pick the tips and leaves over the tart. Bake for 40 minutes exactly, then remove and leave to cool, ready to wrap and go.

MINI QUICHES

Steps:

• Roll the pastry out onto a lightly floured work surface until very thin. Cut out circles that are 1cm larger in diameter than the tartlet tins. Line the tins with the pastry circles (you may need to bake these in batches if you do not have enough tins) pressing into the edges and up the sides. Re-roll any pastry offcuts until you've lined all the tins, then chill for 30 mins (if you're baking in batches, chill the off-cuts too).
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line each pastry case with a piece of foil and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 mins, then lift out the foil and beans and bake for another 5 mins. Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a little oil until crisp.
• Divide the bacon and half the cheese between the cases. Beat the eggs and cream together, then pour over the bacon and cheese until the cases are almost full. Scatter over the remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden and puffed up. Leave to cool, then chill before serving. Can be made a day ahead.