Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C conventional / 170°C fan. Place a baking tray in the oven to heat. Line a 22 cm tart tin with the pastry, easing it into the corners without stretching it. Follow any chilling instructions on the pastry packet.
- Prick the pastry base lightly with a fork. Line with baking paper and fill with baking beans or dry rice. Place on the hot tray and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights, then bake for another 5 minutes, until the base looks dry.
- Meanwhile, wearing gloves or using tongs, check and prepare the nettles. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the nettles and cook for 2 minutes, then add the spinach and dandelion leaves and cook for another minute.
- Drain the greens and cool under cold running water. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as possible. Chop finely.
- Heat the oil or butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the chopped greens and cook for another 1–2 minutes to evaporate remaining moisture. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk the eggs and cream together in a bowl. Stir in the grated cheese, black pepper, optional nutmeg and a little salt, allowing for the saltiness of the cheese.
- Spread the vegetable mixture evenly over the pre-baked pastry. Pour over the egg mixture, keeping it below the pastry rim.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and the centre is set, with no liquid filling remaining. A food thermometer inserted into the centre should read at least 71°C. Cover the pastry edges loosely with foil if they brown too quickly.
- Rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm, or cool promptly and refrigerate for later.
Notes
Wild greens: Use only confidently identified edible plants. Wear gloves when handling fresh nettles. Do not add raw nettle leaves as a garnish.
Prepared weight: Weigh the 150 g of greens after removing tough stalks and damaged leaves, but before cooking.
Avoiding a watery filling: Drain and squeeze the cooked greens thoroughly. Let the onion mixture cool slightly before assembling the quiche.
Substitutions: If the wild greens are unavailable, replace them with spinach. Use the same total raw weight and cook, drain and squeeze as directed.
Pastry: Use unsweetened shortcrust pastry. The timing assumes ready-made pastry; making and chilling homemade dough takes additional time.
Dairy-free option: Use suitable pastry, oil, unsweetened plant-based cooking cream and a dairy-free cheese alternative. The recipe still contains eggs and is not vegan.
Storage: Cool promptly and refrigerate within two hours. Eat within 48 hours or freeze individual slices. Reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout.
Portions: Makes six slices. For a main meal, serve with potatoes, beans or a substantial salad.
