Zucchini and tomato quiche with wild garlic

It is my winter of pastry.  Today I discovered the reason.  Jamie Oliver suggests that one of the best ways of making pastry is to run your hands under the cold water tap so they are as cold as possible.  It is a cold winter and I am often finding myself with icy fingertips.  Perfect for pastry.  Serendipitous you might say.  Like this quiche.  I only made it to save scraps around the kitchen from the compost heap and to use the leftover ball of pastry in the fridge.

The quiche was also an excellent reason to open my packet of dried wild garlic that Kath of My Funny Little Life kindly sent me after I expressed a interest in it.  You can see that the box above looks a bit battered.  That is because the Australian Customs are very wary of any package containing food.  They had to open the package and play football with my wild garlic for a while until they got tired and put it in the post to send on to me.  Can you believe they would be so suspicious of such a generous blogger!

All jokes aside, I am enamoured of the wild garlic and have been using it in soups, roast veg, flatbreads and anything else I can think of.  Every time I open the box, I enjoy a whiff of the heady herby garlicky aroma.  I love it all the more because it is something I have never had the chance to use before.  It was lovely in the roasted veg that went into the quiche.  I think I am right in saying it does quite nicely as a substitute for garlic even though it has a far greener, herbier taste.  I am just sorry that I was a bit unsure of it and took a while to start using it.

The recipe for the quiche is from one of my cookbooks that got me through my student days.  Alison Holst is a reliable person to turn to when I am feeling unsure of pastry.  She calls this a vegetable flan but that just sounded too eggy and milky.  So I called mine quiche and adapted it to use up whatever was lurking in the fridge.  I served it with corn, brussels sprouts and (on the second night) with an amazing orange salad that I can't wait to share.  The quiche sliced up so neatly and tasted ever so good.

I am sending this quiche to Vardhini of Cook's Joy for the Veggie/Fruit a Month event which highlights Zucchini this month. 

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: CC Orange, Lavender and Almond Syrup Cake
Two years ago: Lemon Slice and some Nostalgia
Three years ago: A Tale of Carrot and Feta Dip
Four years ago: Sparkles the Rabbit Cake
Five years ago: The Worcestershire Sauce Puzzle

Zucchini and tomato quiche
Adapted from Alison Holst's Meal without Meat

1 x 20cm unbaked shortcrust pie shell (in a greased dish) - see below
2 tsp olive oil
1 large zucchini, diced
1 tsp dried wild garlic (or a crushed garlic clove)
pinch salt (I used wild garlic salt)
125g cherry tomatoes, halved
handful of baby spinach, chopped
2 eggs
1/2 cup yoghurt
1 tbsp milk
1 cup grated cheese
2-3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Toss zucchini with olive oil, dried wild garlic and a generous pinch of salt for about 30 minutes at 220 C.  Add tomatoes and continue roasting for about 20 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and zucchini is slightly charred.  Mix in spinach.  Cool slightly (well I take so long it cooled but I am not sure if it really had to).

While vegies are roasting, pop the pastry shell in the oven to bake for about 10 minutes.  (Technically I think you should blind bake it but I didn't.  Too much hassle.)

Meanwhile, lightly whisk yoghurt, milk and cheeses in a small bowl or jug.

Scatter vegies over the pastry shell.  Pour the cheesy mixture over it.  Bake for 20 minutes at 220 C and another 20 minutes at 180 C.  The quiche is ready when it is golden brown and firm in the middle.  Sit for 10-15 minutes before eating.

Shortcrust pastry
Adapted from Delia Online and King Arthur Flour

2 cups flour
125g butter
2-4 tbsp cold water
pinch salt

Place flour and butter in food processor and process until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Add water a tablespoon at a time until the pastry forms a ball.  Wrap in clingwrap and chill for 30 minutes.  I made 12 mince pies and one 20cm quiche.  I baked the mince tarts for about 30 minutes at 200 C.

On the Stereo:
Listen Listen: an introduction to Sandy Denny