Adaptable quiche

One of my very favourite ‘oh this old thing’ dishes – the very definition of maximum impact for minimum effort.

The recipe is endlessly adaptable – you can incorporate any cooked vegetables or meat. An excellent way to tart up leftovers. Potential options include bits of bacon and roasted cherry tomatoes; roast butternut squash and fresh herbs; sauteed leek, asparagus and peas; caramelised onions with anything. Don’t add anything raw because it won’t cook, or anything watery because it’ll make the whole thing soggy. If you want to add, say, spinach, steam it and then squeeze it out really thoroughly to get rid of the moisture.

• 2 eggs
• 150ml single cream (alternatively you can just do all milk instead)
• 150ml milk
• 100g grated gruyere (or other strong cheese)
• 1 packet ready-rolled shortcrust pastry (I know it’s easy, but this is easier)

1. Take the pastry out of the fridge to come to room temperature and pre-heat the oven to 170C fan (190C)
2. Flap the dough into a 25cm fluted pie tin or dish and press it gently into all the corners. Trim the edges, but not too short as they’ll shrink while it cooks. I like to leave about 1cm poking out over the top
3. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper (tip: you can use the paper that comes in the packet) and add baking beans to weigh it down. If you have no baking beans, you can use a pile of pennies or rice (although the rice won’t be edible afterwards). Don’t forget the paper or whatever you put on top will stick.
4. Bake for 15 mins, then remove the paper and beans and continue cooking for 5-7 mins until it’s starting to look golden all over
5. While it’s baking, whisk together the eggs, cream, milk and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Make sure you’ve got all your other ingredients ready
6. Bring the cooked pastry case out of the oven, add your filling and then pour over the egg mixture. If you’ve got a fancy oven with shelves that pull all the way out without tipping, you can do this while it’s still in the oven.
7. Bake for 25-30 mins until puffed up and golden on top, then leave to cool slightly before serving. Recommend a green leaf salad with a spiky lemony dressing to balance out all that rich cheesiness, or iron-rich green veg like broccoli.