Quiche

Ingredients
For Pastry dough
2 1/4 cups plain flour
175gm cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp salt
6 to 8 tbsp ice water

For Filling
6 shallots, finely chopped (more onions will make the quiche filling more fragrant)
1 small can button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 pack (bought from the supermart) spinach; boiled, drained and finely chopped
3tbsp mayonnaise
1/3 cup fresh milk
4 eggs
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
3 slices chicken ham, cut into small squares
6 cherry tomatoes, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Method of preparation
Make pastry dough:
1) Blend together flour, butter and salt in a big bowl with your fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse meal.
2) Drizzle 6tbsp ice water over mixture and gently stir or gently knead until incorporated
3) Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful (it should hold together). If not, add more water, 1tbsp at a time. (Do not overwork the dough)
4) Turn dough out onto a work surface and divide into 2 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to distribute the dough.
5) Form each portion of dough into a pie pan
6) Wrap in cling wrap and chill until firm (1hr and above) or up to 1 day

Make filling:
1) Fry mushrooms, onions, tomatoes & ham until onions are tender
2) Add spinach into frying pan together with the rest of ingredients in step 1
3) In a separate large bowl, mix mayo, milk, eggs and cheddar cheese
4) Cool hot mixture slightly and add to the large bowl of ingredients in step 3
5) Pour into pie shell and top with parmesan cheese
6) Preheat oven at 180 degrees celcius
7) Bake for 30-45 mins until set and golden brown.

Recipe submitted by Pauline Wong, a member of Munch Ministry