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French quiche recipe: Meatless Fridays
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French Quiche (Tomato and Goat's Cheese)

Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French
Servings: 6
Author: Hannah Lawrence

Equipment

  • Food processor (optional)
  • Rolling Pin
  • Whisk
  • 24 cm loose-bottomed, fluted tart case (Note 1)
  • Oven tray (which comfortably holds the tart case)

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 125 g butter (cubed, room temperature)
  • 250 g plain flour
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/4 cup water

Egg mixture

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 tbsp sour cream (optional, but highly recommended)
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Filling

  • 1 brown onion (thinly sliced or chopped)
  • 1 tomato
  • olive oil (for sautéing)
  • 150 g soft goat cheese
  • 1 cup grated cheese
  • 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard (optional)

Other vegetarian filling ideas

  • Seasonal roasted vegetables
  • Pumpkin, spinach and feta
  • Mushroom and ricotta
  • Black olives, sun-dried tomatoes and halloumi
  • Basically any variation of cheese + veg is going to work!

Instructions

For the pastry (Note 2)

  • In a food processor, combine butter, flour and salt. Pulse until mixture resembles a crumble.
  • Turn the food processor to a low setting, and slowly add water until the pastry comes together into a ball (Note 3).
  • If you do not have a food processor, combine butter, flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Use your fingers to work the butter into the flour until it resembles a crumble. Add water and use the palm of your hand to fully incorporate the liquid until the pastry comes together.
  • Shape into a disk. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate until required.

For the custard

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sour cream, salt and pepper.
  • Refrigerate until required.

For the filling

  • Heat olive oil in a small frypan, and saute the onion until soft. Set aside.
  • Halve the tomato and use a spoon to scoop out all the seeds and liquid (this will make your quiche watery). Finely chop your tomato and set aside.

Assembling and baking

  • Preheat the oven to 180C (fan-forced).
  • Remove pastry from the fridge (you may need to leave it on the counter to soften if it has been in the fridge long enough).
  • Roll the pastry between two pieces of baking paper. You want it to be big enough to fill your quiche tin with a small overhang, but no larger.
  • Gently ease the pastry into the tin (Note 4), pressing the pastry into the corners and pushing down any overhang (this pastry does not shrink).
  • Prick the base of the pastry with a fork.
  • Spread the custard over the base of the pastry followed by the onion, tomato, goats cheese and regular cheese (or filling ingredients of your choice).
  • Place the quiche tin on a tray (this prevents any accidental spillage/leakage) and carefully pour on the egg mixture. If a lot of the filling is visible above the egg mixture you can push it down with a spoon.
  • Bake for one hour, and rest for at least ten minutes before cutting.

Notes

  1. There is a bit of wiggle room in regards to tin size. You could definitely size all the way to a 28cm tin, but your filling and pastry will be spread a little thinner. Personally, I like a slightly deeper quiche, so prefer the small dimension with a taller (3.5cm approx) side.
  2. I would strongly encourage you to try making this pastry. If you want to use store bought shortcrust pastry instead, you will need to blind bake your pastry until set (but not coloured) prior to adding in your fillings.
  3. If your pastry is still crumbly at this point, you can add more water, one tablespoon at a time. You want the pastry to be smooth and easy to work with.  
  4. I find the easiest way to do this is to remove the upper sheet of baking paper, place the loose bottom of the tart tin on top of the pastry, and invert the pastry (so the tin bottom is underneath and the baking paper on the top). Carefully remove the top layer of baking paper and slide the tin bottom and pastry into the tart case.