SERVES: 8
Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus chilling
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, plus chilling
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ready-made shortcrust pastry
Plain flour, for dusting
3 rashers smoked streaky bacon, chopped into 1 cm (½ in) pieces
1 small onion, finely sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
225 g (7 oz) frozen petit pois, thawed
3 large eggs
150 ml (5 fl oz) single cream
25 g (¾ oz) fresh mint, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Put a baking sheet in the oven to heat.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 24 cm (9½ in) circle. Lift into a round 23 cm (9 in) loose-bottomed fluted tart tin, pressing gently into the base and sides. Prick the base with a fork, then chill for 20 minutes while you make the filling.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan and gently cook the bacon for 2–3 minutes until golden. Add the onion and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and petit pois, and toss together well. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Place the eggs in a bowl and beat with the cream and mint. Season, add the cooled pea mixture and stir together well. Spoon the mixture into the chilled pastry shell. Bake for 45 minutes. If the top starts to brown too quickly, place a sheet of foil over the top. The surface should be a light golden colour, not too brown.
Leave to cool; it will set further as it cools. The quiche can either be transported in the tin or removed and wrapped well in foil. Serve with a watercress salad.