Cheese and tomato quiche

Serves 4

Niall McDaid

Young Cook Finalist Recipe

• Maria Mulvaney
• St Malachy’s College, Belfast
• Key Stage 3

Ingredients

• Pastry:
• 200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• Pinch salt
• 100g Northern Ireland butter, plus extra for greasing
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 egg yolk
• 20ml water
• Filling:
• 250g Northern Ireland cheese, grated
• 4 tomatoes, sliced
• 5 medium eggs
• 100ml Northern Ireland milk
• 200ml Northern Ireland double cream

Method

• To make the pastry, sift the flour together with a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter until it you have a soft breadcrumb texture and then add the thyme. Add the cold water to make the crumb mixture come together to form a firm dough.
• Roll out of the pastry on a light floured surface and place into a well–buttered dish. Don’t cut off the edges of the pastry yet. Chill for 10 minutes.
• Pre–heat the oven to 190ºC / 375ºC / Gas 5.
• Remove the pastry case from the fridge and line the base of the pastry with baking parchment and then fill with baking beans. Place on a baking tray and bake blind for ten minutes. Remove the beans and parchment and return to the oven for five minutes to cook the base.
• Reduce the temperature of the oven to 160ºC / 325ºC / Gas 3.
• Sprinkle the cheese into the pastry base and add the sliced tomatoes if you are using them.
• In a separate bowl combine the eggs with the milk and double cream in the bowl and season well. Pour over the tomatoes and cheese.
• Bake for 35 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and cool.
• Trim edges and serve.