Mini quiches

My eldest had her first day of Kindergarten today and I am pleased to report all went well.  She has lunch at school (at the ridiculously early time of 11.06).  I have been trying to come up with lunch items that will withstand the morning in a lunch bag hanging outside in the 40oC sun. No tuna sandwiches here thank you! We are trying mini quiches this week which is actually something I used to make for them as toddlers (good finger food).  They freeze well, then I pop them in a pot in her lunch box frozen so by lunch they are nicely chilled.

Mini quiches

Makes about 12

4oz plain flour

4oz self raising

4oz butter 

pinch of salt

knob of butter

1 onion finely chopped

large handful of grated cheese

dash of milk

3 eggs beaten

350F (180oC) oven

First make the pastry, I always do mine in the Magimix.  Cut up the butter into small knobs and add to flour.  Blend flour and butter until it forms a crumbly texture.  Add cold water until the mixture comes together and forms a ball.  Wrap the pastry in cling film and put in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile melt the butter in a saucepan and add the chopped onion.  Leave over a low heat with a lid on until the onion is soften (at least 15mins).  Try to leave it to cool a little before you need it.  Grate the the cheese and put to one side & whisk up the eggs in a bowl.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out on a floured work surface (you may want wait a few minutes to make rolling out easier).

As you can see mine cracked round the edges. Don't worry about that you can keep collecting it up and re rolling. I used the wine glass as a pastry cutter as couldn't find mine.  Put the pastry discs into a greased tin. I used my muffin tin this time so they were a bit more substantial for lunches but normally I would use a mince pie tin.  Next add the filling.

Onion first then cheese and finally the egg mixture.  I use a turkey baster to add the egg as you don't want to over fill.  

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until they are golden on top & the pastry is cooked through.  Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

They are lovely warm, but as I said I freeze them when cool and they are just as good cold (or reheated).

You can add all sorts of other fillings - ham, peppers, courgette or sweetcorn.

I'm thinking savoury muffins for the next weeks lunches....