Potato, Kale and Leek Quiche

Directions

For the Crust:

1. Combine flour, thyme and salt in a large bowl with the butter.
    
2. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs, with a few good pea sized pieces remaining.
    
3. Tip: You can also use a pastry cutter or 2 knives to cut the butter into the flour.
    
4. Tip: Alternatively, you can do this in a food processor. Add half the butter, pulse a few times, add the remaining butter, and pulse until you get the breadcrumb texture and pea sized pieces of butter.
    
5. Add half of the water and stir the mixture with a blunt knife.
    
6. Add more water just until the dough start to clump together.
    
7. Tip: If using a food processor, stop adding water as soon as a ball just starts forming after pulsing together.
    
8. Tip mixture out onto a floured surface and lightly work the dough until it comes together to form a ball.
    
9. Tip: Don’t overwork the mixture, you want to still be able to see chunks of butter in the dough.
    
10. Flatten the ball of dough into a thick disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill for a minimum of an hour before using

For the Quiche

Prepare the crust:

1. Remove chilled dough from the fridge and leave to stand at room temperature for about 15 mins, just so that it’s easier to roll out.
    
2. Meanwhile, line the bottom of a 9″ springform pan (or a 2″ deep quiche tin) with parchment paper and lightly butter the sides.
    
3. On a well floured surface, or between 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll out the pastry dough until about 5 – 7mm thick.
    
4. Carefully roll the pastry onto your rolling pin, then gently unroll it over your prepared tin.
    
5. Gently work the pastry into the tin, making sure it’s pressed into the corners.
    
6. Let the excess dough hang over the top of the pan, but reserve a small piece in case you need to patch any holes once baked.
    
7. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork, then cover in clingfilm and leave to chill in the fridge for about 30mins, during this time preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan assisted).
    
8. Once chilled, line the pastry with crumpled parchment or heavy duty clingfilm and fill with baking beads or dried beans or rice.
    
9. Put tin on a baking sheet and blind bake for 25 mins.
    
10. Remove parchment or clingfilm with beans, use reserved dough to patch any cracks or holes if needed, then return to the oven and bake for a further 15 mins.
     
11. Leave to cool on a wire rack, and once cool, use a sharp knife to trim off the overhanging excess dough

Prepare the Vegetables:

1. Cook the potatoes by bringing a large pot of salted water to the boil, add potatoes and cook for 10 – 12mins, until a sharp knife or fork can easily pierce all the way through a potato.
    
2. Drain potatoes and leave to cool.
    
3. Blanche the kale by bringing a large pot of salted water to the boil, add half of the kale and cook for about 1 min, just until tender but still firm.
    
4. Remove kale with a slotted spoon and leave to drain in a colander.
    
5. Add the remaining kale and do the same.
    
6. Chop the leeks into roughly 1cm discs.
    
7. Add a splash of olive oil and 1 Tbsp salted butter to a frying pan over medium high heat.
    
8. Once butter is melted, add the leek and sauté just until tender, between 2 – 5 mins.
    
9. Remove from heat and leave to cool.
    
10. Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut each potato into thirds or quarters, depending on size, so that each round is about 1cm thick.
     
11. For the kale, squeeze out any excess water then trim off and discard any thick stalks. Roughly chop the kale and set aside

Assemble & Bake the Quiche:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan assisted).
    
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, sour cream, eggs, salt, pepper & nutmeg until frothy.
    
3. Combine the chopped kale with the custard mixture.
    
4. Spread the potato pieces on the bottom of the pastry shell.
    
5. Tip: The pastry tin must be on a large baking sheet.
    
6. Evenly strew half of the leek and half of the grated cheese over the potato.
    
7. Carefully spoon the kale on top and strew with the last of the leek.
    
8. Pour the custard into the shell and fill to the brim.
    
9. Tip: You need to work quickly at this point, the pastry is quite porous and you may see some of the mixture seeping out the bottom of the tin, but as soon as it’s in the oven, the leaked mixture will cook and stop any more from seeping out.
    
10. Sprinkle the top with the remaining grated cheese.
     
11. Carefully place it on the middle shelf in the preheated oven, and reduce the temperature to 160°C (140°C Fan Assisted).
     
12. Bake for 1h20 – 1h30, just until done but there’s still a slight jiggle in the centre.
     
13. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack for 40mins – 1hour.
     
14. Carefully remove the tin and leave for another 10 – 15mins before cutting into.
     
15. Tip: Don’t be tempted to cut into it too soon, it won’t be firm enough and you’ll end up with a heap of scrambled egg on your plate rather than a slice of quiche.
     
16. Enjoy still warm, or refrigerate and enjoy the next day, either cold, or heated up and served with a fresh salad.