Stilton, Tomato & Courgette Quiche - cooking recipe

Ingredients

150 g plain flour
1 pinch salt
25 g lard, cut into small cubes (or white vegetable fat)
40 g butter, cut into small cubes (or hard margarine)
25 g butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 courgette, trimmed and sliced
125 g Stilton cheese, crumbled
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 large eggs, beaten
200 ml creme fraiche
salt and pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F?Gas mark 5. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the 25g lard and 40 g butter and mix lightly. Using the fingertips rub into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cold water into the mixture and with a knife, start bringing the dough together. (if may be necessary to use the hands for the final stage) If the dough does not form a ball instantly, add a little more water.
Put the pastry in a polythene bag and chill for at least 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry and use to line an 18 cm flan tin, trimming any excess pastry with a knife.
Prick the base all over with a fork and bake blind in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Remove the pastry from the oven and brush with a little of the beaten egg. Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
Heat the 25 g butter in a frying pan and gently fry the onion and courgette for about 4 minutes until soft and starting to brown. Transfer into the pastry case.
Sprinkle the stilton over evenly and top with the halved cherry tomatoes. Beat together the eggs and creme fraiche and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour the filling into the pasty case and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the filling is golden brown and set in the centre. Serve the quiche hot or cold.