Smoked ham, gouda & bread sauce quiche

Ingredients

• 475g ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
• 25g butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large leek, finely sliced
• 100g smoked ham, cut into 0.5cm cubes
• 10g chives, finely chopped
• 125ml cold bread sauce
• 125ml creme fraiche
• 5 large eggs
• 100g gouda or gruyere, finely grated
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated

Method

Unroll the shortcrust pastry, then carefully line a 20cm spring-form cake tin with the pastry, ensuring there are no bubbles and smoothing over any holes with extra pastry. You’ll need a 2cm overhang around the top perimeter.

Carefully place the cake tin onto a baking sheet and chill in the fridge for 30 mins.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan melt the butter with a splash of olive oil. Cook the sliced onion and leek with a pinch of salt for 8-10 mins until starting to take on a little colour. Add the ham and chives and cook for another 3 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to one side.

Heat the oven to 220C. Check the chilled pastry case again for holes, filling in any gaps with extra pastry. Crumple a large sheet of baking parchment, line the inside of the chilled pastry with it, then fill with weighted baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake in the oven for 20 mins, then remove from the oven. Take out the baking beans and parchment, then return to the oven and cook for another 6 mins to ensure the bottom is cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a large jug whisk together the cold bread sauce, creme fraiche, eggs, grated gouda, black pepper, nutmeg, a pinch of salt and 3 tbsp cold water.

Reduce the oven temperature to 185C. Remove the baking tray with the cooked pastry case from the oven. Spoon half of the leek-ham mix over the base of the pastry casing, whisk the cream-egg mix, then pour over half of it. Spoon over the rest of the leek-ham mix, then pour over the rest of the cream-egg mix. Grate more nutmeg on top if you like.

Use a sharp knife to carefully cut away the pastry overhang from the top edge of the cake tin, leaving a clean line. Return the filled quiche to the oven, still on its baking tray, and cook for 40-45 mins until fully set – cover the top with foil if it’s browning too quickly.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely on the baking sheet – it will continue to set as it cools. Enjoy warm or cold with a green salad.

Image: Stuart Ovenden