Quiche is, surely, the ideal picnic food. I’m a massive fan of picnics, dating back to childhood when we’d take an old stripy sheet to the garden and eat an array of treats including Party Rings, the most special of all biscuits to a child. My favourite picnic of recent years was during my last summer at home when we took a family trip to Warwick Castle.
This is one of my favourite places in the world. When I went as a child I thought the towers were absolute skyscrapers – my brother and I were both slightly underwhelmed by their size when we returned as adults – but it had lost none of its magic. As much as I enjoyed larking about the castle, I also looked forward to the picnic and had a marvellous time tucking into our homemade goods on the lawn. In Hong Kong it’s a bit too sticky and sweaty for eating outdoors, but it’s always good weather for quiche, even if you eat it indoors.
Roasted Tomato Quiche
Slightly adapted from BBC GoodFood
Ingredients:
pack of ready-to-roll shortcrust pastry
300g cherry tomatoes
drizzle olive oil
50g grated parmesan
2 eggs
284ml double cream / creme fraiche / Greek yoghurt
handful shredded basil leaves
Method:
1. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface so it is big enough to line your tin (mine was 20cm diameter).
2. Carefully lift the pastry and gently press it into the tin. I use a little ball of leftover pastry to push it in around the edges. Ideally leave a bit of overhang to avoid the case shrinking in the oven. Chill the pastry case in the fridge for 20 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 200C. Put the cherry tomatoes in a roasting tin, drizzle them with the olive oil and add plenty of seasoning. Roast them in the oven for about 25-30 minutes.
4. Remove the chilled pastry case from the fridge and prick the bottom with a fork. Fill it with a circle of foil / greaseproof paper, fill it with baking beans and bake blind for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the beans and paper and return the pastry to the oven for another 5-10 minutes until golden brown. The tomatoes should be done now too.
6. While the pastry is cooking, prepare the filling – beat together the eggs and creme fraiche, season and stir in the basil leaves.
7. Place the roasted tomatoes in the pastry dish and sprinkle over half of the cheese.
8. Pour over the creamy filling, then top with the remaining cheese.
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the filling has set. Leave to cool in the case, then trim the excess pastry off and carefully remove from the tin.
