Spinach, Cheese and Tomato Quiche

I made this with the spinach left over from the Pork Belly Noodle Soup. I included some small tomatoes which were a little past their sell-buy-date. I peeled the tomatoes, and cooked them (with nothing added) on a baking sheet in the bottom of the oven while the pastry case was baking.

Provides 6 servings:

• Shortcrust pastry made with 150g plain flour and 75g butter; or a sheet of savoury shortcrust pastry; or a ready made savoury pastry case (about 20cm in diameter). I made mine in a fairly high-sided tin. See these instructions on how to make a pastry case
• 200g spinach (cooked, chopped and allowed to cool – I washed mine, then spun it in a salad spinner and cooked it in the microwave at 750W for 2.5 minutes; the drained it in a sieve and squeezed out the rest of the liquid by pressing the spinach against the inside of the sieve with a suitably sized round bottomed bowl)
• 4 large eggs
• 250ml milk
• a little grated nutmeg
• freshly ground black pepper
• 80g grated cheddar
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 onion (chopped)
• about 25 small tomatoes (peeled and cooked in the bottom of the oven while the pastry case is cooking (say, 20 minutes at 200C/Gas Mark 6)) [optional]

If cooking the pastry yourself, start preparing the filling once the pastry has gone in the oven.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan, add the onion and gently cook for about 5 minutes. Allow to cool.

Beat the eggs in a 2L bowl or measuring jug. Mix in the milk. Then add the nutmeg, pepper, cheese and spinach, ensuring they are well mixed together. Add the onion when it has had time to cool off. If using the tomatoes add these when you remove them from the oven.

Pour the mixture into the pastry case and cook for about 40 minutes at 160C/Gas Mark 3. The quiche will be cooked when top starts to brown and is firm.

My husband thinks it would be better without the tomatoes – what do you think?

Penne with spinach and gorgonzola

A quick supper for two:
3 handfuls of dried penne (or other ‘chunky’ pasta)
2 tbsp pine nuts
100g gorgonzola (or dolcelatte, stilton or other blue cheese)
150ml double cream
200g fresh spinach
Freshly ground black pepper

Cook the penne in accordance with the instructions on the packet.
Toast the pine nuts (until they are golden) on a backing sheet under a grill (do not allow to burn – they will brown quite fast). Cut the gorgonzola into small pieces.
Wash the spinach and drain (if you have a ‘salad spinner’ use that to remove any excess water).
Once the penne is cooked, drain it.
Into the same saucepan (over a lower heat) put the cream and the gorgonzola. Stir to break up the gorgonzola (a balloon whisk is useful here).
When the cream mixture has boiled, add the penne and the pine nuts and stir to coat with the cream mixture.
Turn up the heat and add the spinach, stirring constantly (the spinach will cook in a few minutes – it is useful to use a very large saucepan as it is easier to stir in all the spinach at once).
Add black pepper to taste and serve immediately.