Squash and leek quiche

Full of the sweetness of leeks, sauteed for a long time in butter with a little back bacon, bell pepper, earthy roasted squash and shallot, this quiche was a winner. It also looked very pretty with a whiter than usual appearance through the use of sour cream, a little milk and feta cheese to adorn the top. The salty cheese and slightly tangy cream helped to balance the sweetness of the ingredients inside.

The crust for this quiche was made using Bob's Red Mill Low carb baking mix, see here, a speciality product containing such healthy ingredients as flaxseed meal and oatbran. You could simply substitute any flour you wanted.

Recipe : Squash and leek quiche

Crust

2 cups of baking mix or flour

3/4 cup butter, cut into cubes

1 tsp salt

5 - 6 tbsp water

Pour the baking mix or flour (with 1 tsp baking powder if using regular flour) into a large bowl. Stir in the salt and then add the butter. Rub the mixture together until it resembles breadcrumbs then add the water, a little at a time. 

Use your hands to bring the dough together into a ball that leaves the bowl clean. Wrap in cling wrap and set aside for 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425oF and grease and flour a quiche tin. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface and place into the quiche tin, pressing down and cutting off any excess. Place some foil into the dish and pour enough dried beans or rice in to cover the bottom. Bake blind for 12 minutes and remove from the oven. Remove the beans and foil and set aside while you make the filling.

Filling

1 tbsp oil

4 pieces of lean back bacon, cut into small pieces

1 leek, washed and finely sliced

2 shallots, peeled and finely sliced

1 bell pepper, seeded and finely sliced

1/2 cup roasted squash, any kind, cut into chunks

2 eggs

3 tbsp sour cream

1/4 cup milk

salt, pepper

1/2 cup Feta cheese

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Fry until the bacon is cooked and starting to crisp. Add the leek, shallot and bell pepper. Stir well, reduce heat slightly, cover and let cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft and sweetened. Add the squash and season with salt and pepper.

Beat the eggs into a bowl, add the sour cream and milk and stir well. 

Place the vegetables into the prepared pastry case and pour the egg mixture over the top. Dot the Feta evenly over the top and bake for about 35 minutes at 350oF until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave cool a little before removing from the baking dish. Eat while warm or cold.