Shortcrust Pastry

This is the recipe for shortcrust pastry that my Mum uses. I think that it probably came from the BeRo cookbook she has. This book is older that me and my Mum. I think she got it from one of her Aunties when she first got married. The BeRo book is a baking bible in her house.

Ingredients

• 225 g (8 oz) Plain Flour
• pinch salt
• 50 g (2 oz) butter (I think you can use all of one type of fat if you want, ie all butter or all baking marg)
  
• 50 g (2 oz) margarine
• 30 ml (approx. 2 tbsp.) cold water to mix
  
• 25 g (1 oz) caster sugar if making sweet pastry
  

Method

1. Mix flour and salt in bowl, rub in fat
2. Using a knife to cut and stir, mix with cold water to form a stiff dough
3. Turn dough on to a floured surface and knead lightly
4. Roll out and use as required
   

Easy Quiche

I've been really unorganised recently (school holidays), but we finally got the new windows put in. They look fantastic and I will post about them soon!

In the meantime, we are trying to work out how to redo the Kitchen - so many choices!! Part of this process is trying to use up everything in the cupboards - you know all those odd tins and packets that hide at the back, never to see the light of day!! Or the packages of things in the freezer that have a layer of 'snow' on the top!!

This was the result of this. I knew I had a packet of ready made shortcrust pastry in the freezer as I had been meaning to do this for a long time!!

Easy Quiche

Ingredients

• 375g (13oz) ready-rolled shortcrust pastry (mine was ready made, but not rolled. Just rolled it to the right size)
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) lean ham, sliced medium-thick and cut into small pieces ( I used bacon as that is what I had in the fridge. I fried it off first)
  
• 4 spring onions, sliced into rounds
• 2 eggs
• 150ml (5 fl oz) semi-skimmed milk
• 4 tbsp single or whipping cream (or use extra milk) (I just used a little extra milk as I didn't have any cream in the fridge)
  
• 100g (3 1/2oz) extra-mature Cheddar cheese, grated
  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven), gas 6 and put a baking sheet inside to heat.
2. Lift the roll of pastry over a 20cm flan tin and gently unroll it. Carefully press the pastry onto the base and sides of the tin. Neatly trim the overhanging pastry with a sharp knife. Use a piece of baking parchment to line the pastry base roughly and cover it with baking beans or scrunched up foil. (I really need to get baking beans!! Miss this and your shortcrust pastry rises slightly!!)
   
3. Put on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans or foil and bake for a further 5 minutes.
4. While the pastry is baking, mix the ham with the onions. (Fry off your bacon if using)
   
5. Break the eggs into a wide jug with the milk and cream, or extra milk, and seasoning. Whisk lightly.
6. Sprinkle half the cheese over the base of the pastry case, then top with the onion and ham. Scatter the remaining cheese on top.
   
7. Return the flan to the baking sheet and pour the egg mixture over the filling.
   
8. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and just firm to the touch.

This turned out so delicious. All the family enjoyed and it was so easy and quick to make that I will definitely be making it again. I may add in other ingredients like spinach - I would wilt, drain and chop first, mushrooms - I would fry off like the bacon, peppers - fry off, cooked chicken. I think you could pretty much add in anything that took your fancy!!
Next time I may even try to make my own pastry!!