Smoked Salmon Quiche

Wine suggestion: White Mâcon. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 250g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 125g butter, cut into cubes
• 2 tablespoons chilled water

For the filling:

• 3 large eggs beaten together
• 200ml double cream
• 300g smoked salmon, roughly chopped (you can also use trimmings)
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Black pepper, to season

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5/190°C. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl with the pinch of salt. Add the cubed butter and rub together lightly with fingertips, until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add as much chilled water as is needed to bind. Pat the pastry into a flat disc, cover with clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Roll out the pastry and use it to line a 24cm loose-bottomed, fluted quiche tin. Cover the pastry case with tinfoil, fill with baking beans and bake blind for 15-20 minutes. Remove the tinfoil and baking beans, brush with some of the beaten egg and cook for a further 10 minutes until crisp and golden. Reduce the oven to gas mark 4/180°C.
3. Mix the double cream into the beaten eggs and add the smoked salmon pieces. Add the nutmeg and season to taste.
4. Pour the mixture into the baked pie case and bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes, or until the centre is just set. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
5. Remove from the quiche tin and slice. Serve with mixed dressed salad leaves.