Butternut quiche is perfect for picnics
Summer is all about relaxing by the beach, having garden parties, or picnicking with friends. And what’s a picnic without a quiche? Quiches are simple to make, easy to transport, and are just as tasty served cold. They can be prepared in advance and can be meat, fish or vegetarian. They can even be crustless and gluten-free! This delicious butternut quiche will wow any crowd.
Butternut and sage is a match made in heaven, and is a classic combination used in many dishes. Think butternut ravioli with sage burnt butter… I add chopped sage into the custard and garnish the quiche with fried sage for extra flavour. The crispy little leaves simply pop with flavour! Feta adds a saltiness to the filling, which is balanced by the sweet caramelised onions.
Tips for making shortcrust pastry
I like using shortcrust pastry to make a classic quiche. Irresistibly buttery, it is quick and simple to make. You can also make a larger quantity and freeze it in batches. Having extra pastry in the freezer is really handy for a quick midweek meal.
Although easy to make, there are a few watch points, in order to achieve the lovely crumbly texture. Firstly, make sure your butter is cold when you rub it in. Try to only use your fingertips, as the palms of your hands are warm and will melt the butter. Rubbing the butter in will coat the flour with fat and create the desired short and crumbly texture. Bring the dough together with just enough water to bind it. If you add too much, the pastry will be hard. It is important not to overwork the dough, as you don’t want to develop any gluten. This will make the pastry hard to roll and more likely to shrink during cooking.
The ‘rubbing in’ stage can be done in a food processor. Simply blitz the flour and butter briefly until crumbly. Then add the liquid, and bring the pastry together by hand, so that you don’t overwork it. The pastry must be chilled and rested. This allows the gluten to soften, preventing shrinkage. It also allows the butter to firm up, which will prevent the pastry becoming greasy or losing its shape.
It’s important to blind bake your pastry
Before you add the filling to the butternut quiche, you will need to ‘bake the pastry blind’. Quite simply, you cover the pastry with greaseproof paper and weigh it down with baking beans. Once the pastry is set, you remove the paper and beans and cook until it is just starting to colour. Baking blind ensures that the pastry won’t shrink when it cooks, and will prevent a soggy bottom.
If you are in a real rush, or don’t feel like making pastry, you can buy ready made shortcrust pastry. You will need to start from the stage of resting once the pastry has been rolled out, and then baking it blind. You can then continue as normal with rest of the preparation for the butternut quiche.
Butternut Quiche with Feta and Sage
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Ingredients
- PASTRY:
- 225g flour
- 110g cold butter, cut into cubes
- 2 egg yolks
- 2-4 tbsps. ice cold water
- ¼ tsp. oregano
- ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
- Pinch of salt
- FILLING:
- 2 onions (approx. 500g), halved and sliced into rings
- 1 ½ tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tbsp. butter
- 1 butternut (approx. 700g), peeled, deseeded and neatly cubed
- 2 sprigs thyme
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- 150g feta, cut into small cubes
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 150ml cream
- 150ml milk
- 1 tbsp. sage, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- GARNISH:
- 1 tbsp. butter
- A handful of sage leaves
Instructions
PASTRY:
- Before making the pastry make sure your butter and water are very cold.
- Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl with the oregano, cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt.
- Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until you have a fine crumbly mixture and there are no lumps of butter. This can also be done in a food processor. Simply blitz the flour and butter briefly until crumbly, and then place in a bowl.
- Add 1 egg yolk and 2 tbsp. water, and using a butter knife or palette knife, start to bring the mixture together. Then, using your hands, bring the pastry together until it is just combined. Add 1-2 more tbsps of water as needed. Don’t add any more water than needed to just form a ball, as if you add too much the pastry will be hard and not short.
- Press the pastry into a disk and wrap. Place in the fridge and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Once rested, roll the pastry out on a floured surface into a large circle. You will need to have a few cm extra all around, so that there is enough to go up the sides, plus a little extra to trim the pastry neatly.
- Carefully roll the pastry onto your rolling pin, and place it over a 23cm quiche tin with a removable base. Very gently lift it into the corners of the tin, and then gently press the base and sides into the tin with your finger tips.
- Cut off any excess pastry by using a sharp knife, or rolling your rolling pin over the top of the quiche. You can also push it off the edges with your fingers.
- Prick the base of the quiche with a fork and cover it loosely. Place it in the fridge to firm up for at least 15 minutes. You can put it in the freezer for a few minutes if you are in a hurry.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
- Line the pastry with a piece of greaseproof paper, and weigh it down with baking beans.
- Place in the oven and bake blind for approximately 15-20 minutes, until the pastry is cooked and set.
- Remove the shell from the oven and remove the beans and greaseproof paper. Brush the surface with an egg yolk mixed with a little water. Return the pasty to the oven for 1-2 minutes until the egg is set. Remove from the oven and set aside
FILLING:
- Place ½ tbsp. olive oil with the butter in a large frying pan on a gentle heat. Add the onions and caramelise until soft, sticky and sweet. This will take about 30-40 minutes. You will need to stir them every so often. Once done, remove from the pan and allow to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
- Place the butternut on a large roasting tray and drizzle over the remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add the thyme, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper. Toss to coat well.
- Place in the oven and roast for about 40 minutes, until the butternut is soft and turning golden on the edges. Remove from the oven, pick out the thyme and set aside.
- Reduce the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
- To make the custard, place the eggs in a large jug and add the cream, milk and chopped sage. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and whisk to combine.
- To assemble the quiche, spread the caramelised onions on the base of the quiche. Top with the roasted butternut and cubes of feta. Place the quiche tin on a clean roasting tray. Whisk the custard briefly, and then immediately pour it into the quiche, until it is about ¾ full. Place the roasting tray in the oven, and then fill the quiche to the brim with the custard. Cook for approximately 30-45 minutes, until the filling is puffy, set and slightly golden.
- Remove the quiche from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
GARNISH:
- Heat the butter in a small pot. Add the sage leaves and allow them to splutter and shrivel.
- Remove them from the butter with a slotted spoon and drain them on a piece of kitchen paper.
- Carefully remove the quiche from it’s tin, and garnish with the fried sage leaves. Serve it hot or cold with a lightly dressed green salad.
FILLING:
