This is a recipe from Sophie Grigson, from the book accompanying the award-winning “Grow Your Greens, Eat Your Greens” series for Channel 4. As an allotmenteer, it’s one of my favourite recipe books. The bread dough tart base is likely the original “quiche” base from the Lorraine region of France, but if you can’t be bothered with it, I’m sure a pack of ready-made puff pastry will be a great substitute. Ingredients for crust:
250g strong white bread flour
60 ml milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tablespoon Allison’s active dry yeast
Salt
1 egg
3 tblspns olive oil
Filling:
225g ricotta
2 eggs
200 ml milk
4 tblspns freshly grated parmesan cheese
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
3 tblspns fresh chopped mixed herbs (eg chives, parsley, thyme, basil, marjoram: use at least three types)
Salt and pepper
350g cooked peas
Warm the milk to blood heat, add sugar and sprinkle 1 tblspn dried yeast onto the surface. Leave fo c. 5 mins for the yeast to activate and foam up. Put the flour and salt in a bowl, make a well in the centre and add the egg and oil into the centre. Work in the flour, adding the milk and yeast mixture and enough water to make a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic, then cover and leave in a warm place to rise (1-2 hrs) until doubled in volume. Heat the oven to 190C. Lightly flour a big pie plate. Punch the dough down and either roll it out into a round shape the size of the plate or just spread it in the plate using your hands. Let the dough rise in the pie plate for another 20 to 30 minutes so that the edges puff up. Make the filling by beating the ricotta with eggs, and adding in the milk. Stir in most of the parmesan, reserving some for topping later, and all the herbs, spring onions, salt and pepper. Punch down the base of the crust, leaving the sides high and puffy, and scatter the peas evenly over the bottom of the pie plate. Pour over the custard and top with the reserved grated parmesan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until barely set and golden in colour. This quiche tastes much better served cold.
Courgette & Parmesan tart
With a sheet of ready-rolled pastry at the ready, you can make a smart tart for supper in no time at all.
Ingredients
1 x 375g sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
3 courgettes • thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves , sliced olive oil
4 tbsp mascarpone or low fat creme fraiche
50g Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated
Preparation and cooking times
Ready in 45 minutes
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Unroll the pastry onto a baking sheet and score a border 2cm in from the edge.
Toss the courgettes and garlic with the olive oil and lots of seasoning.
Mix the mascarpone with half the Parmesan and spread inside the border. Arrange the courgettes in overlapping rows: Bake for 15 minutes, then scatter with Parmesan. Bake for another 15-20 minutes.
Grease a sponge tin. Roll out pastry and line the tin.
Spread the jelly or jam over the pastry. Mix together all the filling ingredients and spread over the jam.
Bake for approx. 30mins until golden
Courgette Pancakes
Instructions
1. Combine the courgette, egg, salt, sugar and flour. Mix until well combined. 2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. 3. Spoon pancake batter into pan, using a tablespoon of batter for each pancake. 4. Cook a few minutes on one side till browned, then flip and cook the other side. 5. Once browned on both sides leave to cool for a moment before enjoying!
Ingredients · 500g courgette, peeled and grated · 1 egg · 1/2 teaspoon salt · 3 to 4 tablespoons golden caster sugar · 60g plain flour · Butter or vegetable oil, for frying