Some of my family is coming over for dinner tonight, and I wanted to make something nice! There is a recipe I really like that I found in a copy of 'New Idea' magazine. I ripped it out of the magazine, so I can't tell you the date it was published, but it was recent. There's a weekly section called 'Barb's Bake-Off,' where a home-cook faces off against one of the professional chefs, Barb Northwood. This was her recipe one week, and I adore it.
BRIE AND SMOKED HAM QUICHE
Serves: 6
Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 25 mins
125g cold butter, chopped
1 and 2/3 cup plain flour (I use the same amount in gluten free flour-K)
1 egg yolk
2-3 tbsps cold water
Rocket to serve (I don't bother with this-K)
Fresh thyme to garnish
1 onion (Since I am onion intolerant, I use garlic-K)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup pure cream (I use light cream-K)
Salt and pepper to taste
125g sliced smoked ham, chopped (If you're a vegetarian, you could leave this out-K)
200g round brie, cut into wedges
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (I use more-I love thyme)
1. Grease a 24cm round loose-based flan tin.
2. Process butter and flour in a food processor to form fine crumbs. With motor operating, add yolk and enough water until mixture starts to form a ball.
3. Roll out pastry between two sheets of baking paper until large enough to line tin. Trim edge. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Place tin on an oven tray and line with baking paper. Fill with dried beans or rice.
4. Cook in a hot oven for 15 mins (200 degrees). Remove paper and beans. Return to oven. Cook for a further 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
5. To make filling, cook onion in oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat, stirring, until soft. Remove. Whisk eggs into cream. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Spread onion over pastry base. Top with ham and cheese. Pour over egg mixture. Sprinkle with thyme.
7. Cook in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until egg mixture is set. Remove, stand for 10 minutes.
8. Serve with rocket. Garnish with thyme.
I have to tell you, gluten free pastry is a bit 'touch and go.' It doesn't always work as well. It's taken me a while to get it kind of alright, although, if you have a look at the picture, the crust is very...um..rustic-looking (code for- 'looks a bit shabby!')! This pastry is very crumbly compared to non-gf pastry. I do suggest though, to save you wasting your dried beans or rice, just buy some baking beads. I got some from Spotlight. Just use them, let them cool down, and pack them away for next time.
As I mentioned, I'm a big fan of thyme. I only just recently discovered it, and I love the flavour. I put a bit into the egg mixture while I'm whisking it too, but then, I don't bother garnishing the quiche again at the end. I used a little bit extra Brie this time, so I am guessing it will be quite rich. This is definitely not the kind of quiche you could eat all the time: it's not exactly diet food!
One more thing, the author of the recipe, Barb Northwood, notes that another alternative for vegetarians is to replace the ham with chopped green olives and capsicum strips... Up to you!
BRIE AND SMOKED HAM QUICHE
Serves: 6
Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 25 mins
125g cold butter, chopped
1 and 2/3 cup plain flour (I use the same amount in gluten free flour-K)
1 egg yolk
2-3 tbsps cold water
Rocket to serve (I don't bother with this-K)
Fresh thyme to garnish
1 onion (Since I am onion intolerant, I use garlic-K)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup pure cream (I use light cream-K)
Salt and pepper to taste
125g sliced smoked ham, chopped (If you're a vegetarian, you could leave this out-K)
200g round brie, cut into wedges
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (I use more-I love thyme)
1. Grease a 24cm round loose-based flan tin.
2. Process butter and flour in a food processor to form fine crumbs. With motor operating, add yolk and enough water until mixture starts to form a ball.
3. Roll out pastry between two sheets of baking paper until large enough to line tin. Trim edge. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Place tin on an oven tray and line with baking paper. Fill with dried beans or rice.
4. Cook in a hot oven for 15 mins (200 degrees). Remove paper and beans. Return to oven. Cook for a further 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
5. To make filling, cook onion in oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat, stirring, until soft. Remove. Whisk eggs into cream. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Spread onion over pastry base. Top with ham and cheese. Pour over egg mixture. Sprinkle with thyme.
7. Cook in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until egg mixture is set. Remove, stand for 10 minutes.
8. Serve with rocket. Garnish with thyme.
I have to tell you, gluten free pastry is a bit 'touch and go.' It doesn't always work as well. It's taken me a while to get it kind of alright, although, if you have a look at the picture, the crust is very...um..rustic-looking (code for- 'looks a bit shabby!')! This pastry is very crumbly compared to non-gf pastry. I do suggest though, to save you wasting your dried beans or rice, just buy some baking beads. I got some from Spotlight. Just use them, let them cool down, and pack them away for next time.
As I mentioned, I'm a big fan of thyme. I only just recently discovered it, and I love the flavour. I put a bit into the egg mixture while I'm whisking it too, but then, I don't bother garnishing the quiche again at the end. I used a little bit extra Brie this time, so I am guessing it will be quite rich. This is definitely not the kind of quiche you could eat all the time: it's not exactly diet food!
One more thing, the author of the recipe, Barb Northwood, notes that another alternative for vegetarians is to replace the ham with chopped green olives and capsicum strips... Up to you!
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