Spinach Quiche

Name: Spinach Quiche
Ingredients: Soda water pastry; 560 g (4 cups) cake flour; 5 ml (1 teaspoon) cream of tartar; 2,5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) salt; 500 g (2 cups) ice cold butter or margarine, grated; 15 ml (1 tablespoon) brandy; 187,5 ml (3/4 cup) soda water; extra flour; 1 egg white; Filling; Spinach, washed and trimmed; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 5 ml (1 teaspoon) garlic, crushed; 80 g (2/5 cup) butter or margarine; 125 ml (1/2 cup) cake flour; 375 ml (1 ½ cup) milk; 125 ml (1/2 cup) cream; 10 ml (2 teaspoons) lemon juice; pinch of nutmeg; salt and pepper to taste; 3 egg yokes; 100 g feta cheese, broken into pieces (optional)

I’ve had great success with this quiche. The filling is white sauce based and freezes very well. The pastry is a winner and does not have to be baked blind before adding the filling. The pastry recipe is enough to line 3 x 20 cm quiche tins.

Published 26 October 2021

Method

<i>Soda water pastry</i>
Make the pastry. Sift the dry ingredients and add the grated butter or margarine. Blend in a food processor until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Add brandy and soda water and mix to a dough. Wrap the dough in cling wrap and leave to rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to a thickness of 10 mm. Line the quiche tin; brush the pastry shell with egg white and save the left over pastry for later use. It can be frozen successfully.
<i>Filling</i>
Make the filling. Boil the spinach for 5 minutes in boiling water. Drain, refresh under cold, running water and squeeze dry. Chop the spinach finely.
Melt butter in a saucepan. Sautee onion and garlic until very soft over low heat.
Add flour and stir into the butter and onion mixture. Cook, while stirring for 3 minutes.
Add milk and whisk continuously until sauce thickens. Add the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the lemon juice and a pinch of nutmeg.
Add the spinach and egg yokes and mix very well.
Preheat the oven to 180 ºC.
Spoon the filling into the prepared pastry shell and if using feta cheese, press it into the filling. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the filling feels firm and the pastry is golden brown.