10
Donna Griffith
This creamy quiche is incredibly easy to assemble, thanks to our press-in-the-pan pastry. And once your technique is perfected, you can change up the fillings to suit your fancy.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 tsp white vinegar, or freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup 10% cream
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
140-g log goat cheese
1/4 cup snipped chives
4 plum or small tomatoes, about 1 lb
For crust, place flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Whirl until mixed. Add butter. Pulse just until coarse crumbs form. Add vinegar and pulse just until mixture begins to form a ball. Remove dough and gather into a ball.
Lightly oil a 9-in. (23-cm) tart pan with removable bottom (for other pan options, see "Tip" below). Place dough in centre of pan. Using the palm of your hand, press dough from middle of pan to edges. With your fingertips, press dough up sides of pan until the dough is even with the rim. Pastry will be very thin. Refrigerate for 30 min to firm.
Position rack in bottom of oven and preheat to 400F (200C). In a medium bowl, whisk eggs. Whisk in milk, cream, salt and pepper. Crumble goat cheese into a large bowl. Using the back of a wooden spoon, mash cheese. Continue mashing while gradually adding egg mixture. Mixture may be lumpy. Stir in chives.
Quarter tomatoes lengthwise. Cut out seeds and core. Arrange tomato quarters in chilled crust in a circular pattern.
Slowly pour in egg mixture. Swirl to evenly distribute chives. Place tart shell on a baking sheet. Bake until centre of filling is set when pan is jiggled, 35 to 40 min. Let stand 15 min. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
If you don't have a fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, use a 9-in (23-cm) aluminum or glass pie plate. Don't place on a baking sheet; instead, bake directly on oven rack.
Cheesy asparagus version: Stir 1 cup grated gruyère or swiss cheese into egg mixture instead of using goat cheese. In place of tomatoes, use 1 bunch of asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces, and a 398-mL can of artichokes, drained and chopped.
For a sweet clafoutis custard tart: add 2 tbsp sugar to pastry. In step 3, use only 1 egg and 1 yolk instead of 3 whole eggs. Instead of the salt, pepper, cheese and chives, use 1 cup ground almonds, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. In place of tomatoes, use 2 plums, cut into wedges, or 1 cup jarred cherries, patted dry.