PLANTAIN AND FENNEL QUICHE
INGREDIENTS:
For the pastry: 200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting; 120g unsalted butter; ½tsp fine sea salt; 1 egg yolk; 2-4tbsp cold water For the filling: 2 eggs; 275ml double cream; 1 large ripe plantain; 1 red onion; 1 fennel bulb; 2tbsp olive oil; 1 garlic clove, minced/grated; 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked, plus extra to garnish; 50g Gruyere cheese, grated; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD:
1. For the pastry: Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips. Add the egg yolk and two tablespoons of the cold water. Mix until the pastry starts to clump together. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if the pastry is too dry. 2. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and give it a couple of quick, light kneads to bring it together. Flatten into a thick disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for one to two hours, or until firm. 3. Once chilled, roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm thick. Get six 10cm round tart pans ready – no need to grease them. Cut out six circles slightly larger than the tart pans and press them into the pans, leaving a little overhanging pastry. You may need to re-roll the pastry to get all six circles.
Prick the bases with a fork, and line with scrunched-up baking paper. Fill with baking beans or uncooked rice, then chill the pastry for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190°C. 4. Bake the tart cases for 20 minutes before carefully removing the baking beans and paper. Place them back in the oven for a further seven to 10 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. 5. For the filling: Whisk together the eggs and cream along with a big pinch of salt. Set aside. Peel and slice the plantain into rounds 5mm thick. Finely chop the onion. Trim off the fennel fronds, cut the fennel bulb in half and thinly slice. 6. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium heat, and fry the plantain, turning a few times until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. 7. In the same pan, fry the onions and fennel for eight to 10 minutes until the fennel is soft and translucent. Stir in the grated garlic and thyme leaves and fry for another minute. Season with salt and pepper. 8. Sprinkle a little grated Gruyere on the base of the pastry cases. Split the fennel and onion mixture evenly among the tarts and top with a few slices of the fried plantain. Add a little more cheese on top, along with some more thyme. Fill the cases with the egg and cream mixture. 9. Bake for 18-22 minutes until the eggs are set with a little wobble in the middle. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before serving a little warm.