Instructions

1. For the pastry, place flour and butter in a bowl or in a food processor. Lightly rub butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, with plenty of pea-sized pieces of butter remaining, or if using a food processor, pulse until mixture resembles bread crumbs.
2. Add 3 tbsp ice-cold water and use a fork to mix, then use your hands to mostly bring the ingredients together in the bowl. If using a food processor, pulse until ingredients form a ball. If dough is too dry to hold together, add 1 tbsp ice-cold water and knead in gently.
3. Tip ingredients out onto a floured surface and lightly knead just to bring pastry together into a ball. Flatten into a disc shape and wrap in clingfilm. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour until firm.
4. Remove pastry from fridge and unwrap. On a floured surface, gently roll out pastry so that it’s large enough to line the bottom of a round 23cm (9 inch) springform cake tin and go up about halfway (3-4 cm) up the side of the tin. Make sure to keen pastry moving so that it doesn’t stick and dusting with flour as needed.
5. Brush off any excess flour from the surface of the pastry then carefully lift it and place inside the springform cake tin. Gently press into the corners of the cake tin and up the sides. Place in the fridge to chill for 10-15 minutes.
6. When ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 180°C/160°C fan assisted/gas 4.
7. Remove pastry from the fridge and use a fork to prick the surface of the pastry. Use a small sharp knife to neaten the top of the pastry by trimming for a nice straight edge around the tin. Keep the scraps to use if you need to fill any cracks later.
8. Line the pastry with crumpled parchment paper and fill to the top of the pastry with baking beads or dried beans and rice.
9. Bake blind for 20 minutes in pre-heated oven. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the parchment with the baking beads/beans (cover any cracks in the pastry with pieces of the scraps, if needed) then return to the oven to bake for further 10-15 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from oven and leave to cool on a wire cooling rack.
10. While pastry is cooling, prepare the filling.
11. In a medium sized bowl, lightly toss chicken with veg to mix. Set aside. In a large jug or bowl, whisk together beaten eggs, milk, crème fraiche, thyme, salt & pepper for the custard.
12. Place cake tin with baked pastry on a large tray. Spoon chicken and veg into the pastry and spread out in an evenly. Pour over the custard egg and dairy mixture, right to the top of the pastry as you dare. Have the oven door open and ready then carefully transfer quiche to the oven (still at 180°/160°C fan assisted/gas 4).
13. Bake until the custard is set around the edges and there is no wet shine on top, but there is still a slightly jiggle in the very centre when you gently shake the tin, between 40-45 minutes.
14. Remove from oven and leave to cool for 15-20 minutes before removing from tin and serving.
15. Tastes even better the next day and can be kept for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Can be eaten cold, but to re-heat and maintain a crisp crust, pre-heat oven to 180°/160°C fan assisted/gas 4, place cold quiche slices on a baking tray then heat in oven for 10-15 minutes.