Carrot Quiche, Cacio e Pepe Fondue
I made this delicious quiche back in November and only now, after four months, I actually have the time to sit down and type it up. Life is always full of surprises and sometimes all you can do is wait for the storm to pass before you can go back into your normal rhythm.
I have to admit that I am not a carrot fan. I find their taste too sweet and a bit boring if not paired with something bold. In this case, this pecorino fondue/bechamel does the job perfectly by giving you the perfect salty kick. I really like how the sauce falls down the slice nicely like the softest silk drape.
Ingredients
For the dough:
200g plain flour
100g butter
1 egg
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 pinch of salt
For the filling:
600g carrots
200ml water
100m double cream
20g butter
3 tbsp of grated parmesan
Nutmeg
Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp of olive oil
For the Fondue:
300ml milk
100g pecorino
30g flour
30g butter
1 tbsp of black pepper
You will need an 8 inch deep tart case
Step by Step
The dough
In a bowl add the flour and cubed butter. The butter should be fridge cold. Rub the butter and the flour together using your fingertips. Keep going until you reach a sand like consistency. If you are using a mixing machine use a paddle attachment and mix until you get the same sand like consistency
Add in the egg, olive oil and salt and mix the dough until it comes together. I will normally use a knife or a dough scraper to mix the wet ingredients into the dry ones to avoid getting them all on my hands. If you are using a mixing machine just keep going with the paddle attachment.
Flatten the dough into a disc. Cover it in cling film and rest in the fridge for a couple of hours
The Filling
Wash and peel your carrots. Cut them in big chunks. Put them in a big pot along with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, butter, salt and pepper to taste and the water
Bring the pot to boil
Lower the temperature and cover with a lid. You want your carrots to slowly simmer until completely cooked through. Leave them to cool at room temperature
Blind baking the tart case
Preheat your oven at 180 C /200 C Fan
Take you dough disc out of the fridge and roll it out to roughly 3 to 4mm thickness
Line you 8 inch tart case with the rolled out dough. I normally use my rolling pin, wrap my dough around it, lift it and transfer it into the tin. You will not need to butter your tart tin before lining it. This dough has a high content of fat which will prevent it from sticking.
Once you lined your tray cover it with baking bins all the way up to the top. You want to use either cling film or parchment paper between the dough and the beans (you have to be able to take the beans out of the tart case easily while blind baking)
Chill your lined tin in the fridge for 15-30 minutes
Put it in the oven for 20 minutes
After 20 minutes remove the beans and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. You want to take it out once the bottom of tart case starts becoming golden. You don’t want it to be too dark as you will be baking the tart again with the filling
The Filling Part 2
With a stick blender, blend your cooked carrots
In a separate bowl whisk the eggs with the double cream, parmesan, nutmeg
Add the blended carrots in your double cream mix and mix well with a whisk. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste
Baking
Pour your quiche filling into the baked tart shell
Bake in the pre-heated oven for roughly 40 minutes. the quiche is ready when the filling has solidified and there is only a very slight wobble in the central part of the quiche
Let the quiche cool completely before unmolding
Cacio e Pepe Fondue
Melt the butter in a pan
Off the stove add the flour in the pan and mix well until it’s fully incorporated with the butter
Slowly, off the stove, add the milk and whisk until incorporated. Keep going until you’ve added all the milk
Put the pan back on the stove at medium heat and whisk until your sauce thickens
Add in your pepper, grated pecorino and whisk quickly until dissolved
Enjoy a slice of quiche with a generous spoonful of Cacio e Pepe Fondue
Tips & Cheats
General secrets for the perfect crust:
Handle your dough as little as possible.
The colder your ingredients are (especially the butter) the better it will be
Rest the dough in the fridge after you’ve made it and , if you can, do it gain after you’ve rolled it out and lined your tin.
If you are blind baking the crust and you are planning to use a very liquid filling, whisk an egg and brush the bottom of your pastry. Put it back in the oven for 5 minutes. This will coat the base of the tart (this particular filling does not require this step)
If you are baking the the tart straight with the filling, add a couple of tablespoons of cornflour between the base and the filling. The cornflour will absorb any excess liquid, leaving the bottom of your tart crunchy. This particular quiche can be baked directly with the filling. You only need to increase the overall baking time from 40 minutes to roughly 1 hour.
Preheat your oven with a heavy tray inside. Place your tin directly on the heavy tray. The heavy tray will conduct the heat evenly.
