Leek, bacon, pea and double gloucester quiche

To celebrate the spring sunshine I made a glorious quiche at the weekend. I wanted to have a barbecue but with Matthew on crutches it seemed a little ambitious, so a quiche seemed like the next best option.

So while Sam and Matthew played shops in the garden, and Arlo dressed up as Igglepiggle and then spiderman I set about constructing my pastry delight.

I will very quickly point out that I used shop-bought ready rolled pastry as I’m slightly afraid of making my own, plus there’s a limit to how long I can spend in the kitchen these days with a hop-along husband.

I went for a luxurious double-cream based egg filling to which I added crispy bacon, seasonal leeks, peas and tangy double gloucester from Greens of Glastonbury – it was the weekend after all!

Not wanting to waste the excess pastry I made two mini-quiches for the boys as well as the large one. They chomped straight through them and then demanded more – this was the very definition of a crowd-pleaser. One of those rare meals that actually satisfies every member of my family – I’m still in shock!

Leek, bacon, pea and double gloucester quiche
Serves 6

375g ready rolled shortcrust pastry
10 rashers of streaky bacon
2 leeks, washed and chopped
250g double gloucester, diced
handful frozen peas
5 eggs
100ml milk
200ml double cream

1. Heat oven to 200’C, Fan 180’C, Gas 6. Unwrap pastry and use it to line a 23cm flan tin – pushing it into the corners and trimming the excess from the top. Cover with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Cook for 20 mins, then take out the paper and beans and cook for a further 5-10 mins until pale and sandy.

2. While the pastry is cooking fry the bacon until crisp and cut into strips. Sweat the leeks with a little butter for 5 mins.

3. Once the pastry is cooked, remove from the oven and turn it down to 160’C, Fan 140’C, Gas 2. Scatter the diced cheese, bacon, leeks and frozen peas evenly across the base of the tart.

4. Whisk the eggs, milk and cream, season and then pour over the top to fill the quiche. Cook for 45 mins or until it has set and is golden in appearance. Cool on a wire wrack and serve with a fresh green salad.