Zaatar-Spiced Quiche

Directions

• Shortcrust pastry
• Cut butter into flour and zaatar until particles are size of small peas.
• Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork (I prefer to use my hand) until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons water can be added if necessary). Do not over-knead. If the mixture is too wet and difficult to handle, dust lightly with a bit more flour.
• Gather pastry into a circle (flattened with the palm of your hand) and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Custard
• Beat the chilled whipping cream with a handheld electric beater until it doubles in quantity.
• In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and add chilli flakes.
• Mix in the whipped cream.
• Veggies
• Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Heat a large frying pan and place the tomatoes cut side down. Cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes (until the moisture of the tomatoes has reduced). Don’t stir it too much or the tomatoes will become mushy. Gently take out of the pan and set aside.
• In the same pan add 1 tbsp butter and cook mushrooms on medium heat for 5 minutes. This is just to reduce the moisture and avoid the pastry from going soggy.
• Add baby spinach to it and stir to wilt the spinach. Remove from heat, take out of the pan and set aside.
• Cut the feta cheese into small cubes.
• Parbake
• Preheat the oven to 200C.
• Roll out the pastry and line into a pie tin or pie dish.
• Place parchment paper and baking beads on the base of the pastry.
• Bake the pastry for 20 minutes.
• Take the pastry out of the oven. Remove the parchment paper and beads.
• Reduce oven temperature to 180C and continue to bake the pastry for another 10 minutes (until golden). The pastry will not be 100% cooked at this point. It will finish cooking with the custard filling.
• Assemble & Bake
• Layer the cheese and 2/3 of the cooked vegetables in the base of the pastry.
• Pour in the custard filling.
• Layer the remaining vegetables. Sprinkle sumac on top.