Mini Broccoli Ham Quiches

These mini quiches are great straight from the oven with a fresh green salad for a familly dinner and also perfect chilled for a picnic or pastry.

You can make these mini quiches ahead, bake then chill and place in the fridge (wrapped into clingfilm). When ready to serve, warm in a medium hot oven.

How to make the pastry

These mini quiches are made of simple shortcrust pastry made with plain flour, butter and one egg. You will knead the dough in only 5 minutes. First rub butter into flour then add egg and form a compact dough. That's it - as simple as that. 

We baked these mini quiches in a muffin tray to make it super simple (use non-stick shallow one like this one). Roll out the dough thinly (2mm) then cut into rounds (slightly larger than muffin tins) then line the cases with the pastry and prick them with a fork. We love to pre-bake the pastries for 10 minute before filling - this way they won't be soggy and pastries will be crusty. 

USEFUL TIP

If you don't have round cutters, just divide the dough into 6 pieces and roll each one to 2mm thin rounds and line the muffin cases with the dough.

Preparing the filling

Assembling these mini quiches

Now, we are ready to assemble the quiches. Once baked sprinkle broccoli and ham into each cases then pour egg/milk mixture and bake for another 15 minutes until they become nicely golden on the edges. Your mini broccoli ham quiches are ready to be served!

Freezing instructions

Once baked, cool quiches completely. Wrap each one into cling film, place in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze up to 3 months.

Once you want to serve them, leave to defrost in packaging at room temperature for several hours before serving. You can also reheat them on a baking sheet for 10 minutes at 150C.

Mini Broccoli Ham Quiches

MAKES: 6 mini quiches
COOKS IN: 40 minutes
LEVEL: Easy

INGREDIENTS

For the pastry

• 240g (2 cups) plain flour
• 125g butter, cold and cubed
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 egg

For the filling

• 150g broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 sweet potato, sliced into thin rounds
• 2 eggs, plus one for brushing the pastry
• 100g ricotta
• 100ml milk
• 75g roasted ham, chopped
• handful fresh parsley, chopped
• 75g Cheddar cheese, grated

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 190 C and prepare 6-hole muffin tray.
   


2. FOR THE PASTRY, combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and rub the butter with your fingertips until you get a coarse crumbs. Add the egg and 1-2 tablespoons of cold water and bring the dough together. Form the dough into a ball then flatten into a disc.
   
   
3. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 2mm thick and cut rounds of pastry slightly larger than the mini tart tins. We used 5cm round cutter. Line the flutted tart tins with pastry, pressing well then prick the bases. Trim any overhanging pastry then cool for about 10 minutes in the fridge. Brush pastries with beaten egg.
   
   
4. Bake for 10 minutes then reduce the oven to 150C.
   
   
5. FOR THE FILLING, blanch broccoli in a pan of boiling water for 1-2 minutes.
   


6. Whisk the eggs, ricotta and milk together in a medium bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Add grated cheese and chopped parsley and stir to combine.


7. Divide broccoli and ham between the pastry cases (taking care not to over-fill them), then pour egg mixture and sprinkle with grated cheese and parsley.


8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until just set in the middle and little golden. Serve while still warm.
   
   

Brush the edges with egg and divide the filling between the cases, taking care not to over-fill

1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C.
2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 1cm thick and cut rounds of pastry slightly larger than the fluted mini tart tins. Line the fluted mini tart tins using the pastry, pressing in well and prick the bases. Trim any overhanging pastry and chill for 10 minutes. Fry the vegetables in the sunflower oil in a frying pan for 4-5 minutes until soft over a medium heat, then remove from the heat.
3. Line the pastry cases with nonstick baking and fill with baking beans. Bake in the oven on a baking sheet for 10-12 minutes until golden. Remove the paper and beans at this point, brush the bases with the beaten egg yolk and return to the oven to allow the base to cook and brown.
4. Meanwhile, make the filling by whisking the crème fraîche and the milk together. Beat in the eggs one at a time and season well with salt and pepper. Remove the pastry cases and pour the filling into each one so that it comes three quarters of the way up. Arrange the grated cheese and vegetables to each one and return to the oven on a baking sheet.
5. Bake at 170°C for 20 minutes until the filling has just set. Remove and serve immediately with the rocket on the side as a garnish.