Little Quiches

I was wandering around the supermarket the other day and I saw these little quiche pans or tart cases or whatever you want to call them. I loved them as they were quite deep. I so hate shallow ones as it is a nuisance to fill them with a runny mixture. They also had a loose bottom. Of course I had to buy them. Then of course I had to use them. I was looking through my recipe books for ideas and I noted Delia Smith had a different way of doing her pastry. It was the usual half fat to flour but she cut the fat in with a knife. I was intrigued so I did exactly that only I used scissors. Much easier than a knife. I find good kitchen scissors indispensable. I chop herbs with them trim meat all sorts of things. Anyway I made the pastry and it was lovely. Somewhere between shortcrust and flaky and so crisp and light. Perfect. I will use this method again.

Pastry

225g/8 oz plain flour
50g/2oz butter
50g/20z white fat or you can use all butter
25g/1oz grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon mustard powder
good pinch cayenne pepper
1 egg beaten with a little milk.

Cut the fat into the seived flour until it is evenly distributed
Mix in the cheese, mustard and cayenne pepper
Add the egg and milk to bind
Place in a plastic bag or wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for half an hour.

Pre heat your oven to 180.C/160.C Fan/355.F/Gas 4 and pop a baking sheet into the oven too

Filling

2 eggs
200 mls double cream
200 mls creme fraiche
1 onion chopped very finely cooked down and caramelised ( if you can't be bothered a few chopped scallions would do)
6 dried tomatoes in olive oil chopped
100gms/4 oz Goats cheese or Feta cheese chopped.
A little grated parmesan or cheddar
salt and pepper

4 x loose bottomed quiche pans 12cms/5 inches diameter well greased.

Method

Divide the pastry into four pieces.
Roll out each piece thinly and fit into the pans. Leave it a little proud at the top to allow for shrinkage.
Place them on the baking sheet and bake for about fifteen minutes until light brown.
Allow to cool

Beat the eggs and creams together.
Scatter the onion cheese and chopped tomatoes over the bottom of the cases.
Pour the egg mix in carefully
sprinkle the grated cheese on the top and a little cayenne pepper
Bake for about 25 mins until the custard has just set and the top is golden.