Ham And Spinach Quiche - Make Ahead

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 8 ounces all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 4 ounces chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 12 tablespoons chilled water
• 1/2 ounce unsalted butter
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• 10 ounces fresh spinach, washed
• 4 ounces roast ham, chopped
• 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 large eggs
• 7 tablespoons milk
• salt & freshly ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. add the unsalted butter, rubbing it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. add the chilled water and mix it in with a round-bladed knife until the pastry clings together. use your hand to form the dough into a ball – it should be firm enough to roll out without cracking. wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and chill for 10 minutes.
• 2 preheat the oven to 400°f
• 3 roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 9 inch flan ring or flan dish. line with a piece of crumpled foil or greaseproof paper and baking beans and bake ‘blind’ (i.e. without a filling) for 15 minutes.
• 4 take the flan from the oven and remove the foil or paper and baking beans. reduce the oven temperature to 350°f
• 5 to make the filling, melt the unsalted butter in a frying pan and fry the scallions for 3-4 minutes until soft. at the same time cook the spinach in a tiny amount of water for 2-3 minutes, until wilted. drain well, squeezing out the excess moisture with the back of a spoon. cool the scallions and the spinach.
• 6 scatter the cooked ham, scallions and spinach over the base of the flan and sprinkle the cheese on top. beat the eggs and milk together with a little salt and pepper. pour into the flan case, then bake for 30-35 minutes, until set.