slow-roasted tomato, broccoli and mozzarella quiche

This slow-roasted tomato, broccoli and mozzarella quiche has been made because tt’s picnic season here in the UK and despite the unpredictable rain (it’s been one of those summers) and the never-ending threat of another lockdown, us Brits will always search out the nearest patch of lawn, meadow, beach or hillside and throw down a picnic rug and get out the sandwiches, tea and ginger beer.  OK, it’s not quite like that but we have been known to picnic on the living-room floor in the past when we were hit with a particularly bad storm. If the sausage rolls are made nobody can stop us!

My mum is coming to visit next week.  I’m genuinely quite emotional about it as I haven’t seen her or Eric since before lockdown and whilst we’ve had regular calls and video chats it’s not quite the same is it? We’re being extra cautious and she’s staying in one of the cottages that are owned by the wonderful Railway Tavern in Aby, the village over the field in front of our cottage. It may sound a little bonkers but we feel that because I’m at the top of the ‘at-risk’ list it seems crazy to throw away all those months in lockdown.  We’ll be able to spend some lovely quality time together and all feel safer.  Mum makes the best quiches ever and this is her basic recipe which I’ve adapted over the years.  The fillings can be anything you want them to be.  I had broccoli that needed eating.

I roasted all the veg rather sauté them as I normally would do because I had the oven on anyway for the slow-roasted tomatoes, so it made sense and it’s good to be practical and save energy where you can. I’ve also made 2 quiches at once.  Another brilliantly handy tip from mum – why make one, when you can make two in the same time and the same energy. We ate one that day and the other went into the freezer for when mum gets here. The recipe below is for one quiche but if you want to make two, simply double the pastry recipe but I’d maybe add just 1 more egg and another 50ml of single cream. Maybe a little more veg but to be honest it goes a long way!

i’m using a 25cm, 3cm deep fluted tin with a loose bottom which i’ve greased well

pre-heat the oven to 140C

start with the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour in a large bowl until you have something resembling breadcrumbs, stir in the grated cheddar and any chopped herbs if using, then add a tablespoon or two of cold water and bring together into a dough with your hands, you may need to add a little more water to create the dough but you will feel how ‘short’ the pastry is.  Wrap in cling film and pop in the fridge for at least 30 minutes

lay the tomatoes into a roasting tin, cut side up, sprinkle with salt and pepper and basil and oregano and drizzle generously with olive oil.  Place them in the oven for an hour.

In another roasting tin, lay out the cut broccoli and onions, season well and drizzle with oil.  Cover with foil and roast in the same oven for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven but leave covered in foil until needed.  The veg should be perfectly al dente

now your pastry should be ready, roll it out and line your greased quiche pan. Scrunch up some baking parchment and then lay this into the pastry case and pour some baking beans on top. Blind bake for 15 minutes on 150C

once your pastry is turning golden, take it out of the oven and set aside whilst you beat the eggs into the cream.

Lay the broccoli and onion mix into the bottom of the pastry case, then pour over the cream and egg mix. Add some torn pieces of mozzarella and finally lay the roasted tomatoes on the top in a random pattern. Bake on 160C for about 25 minutes until golden and risen, set aside on a wire rack to cool.  The quiche should easily slide out of the tin.

eat and of course, enjoy!