Make a quiche. Yep, it's been a staple in my family since time immemorial. My mother always made them when anyone came around to lunch, and it's not summer without a quiche, Jersey Royals, salad and a glass of something cool. I have always found quiches to be really easy to make. Many people find pastry-making a hideous job, but I have never found it hard at all (and I have perpetually warm hands). I have tried making pastry with vegetable shortening and didn't get on with it very well, so in my fridge (necessity being the mother of invention) I dug out my cake margerine and gave that a go, it worked a treat and so every time I make pastry I either use marg. or butter.

Quiches are delicious, simple and quick to make. In this recipe I'll give enough ingredients to make two 8-inch quiches. You can vary the ingredients to make less or more, and to cater for whatever you have in your fridge at that particular moment. Eggs can vary in size, I use medium, and can get away with adding more milk to the mix if I have only 3 eggs per quiche instead of 4. Be warned, if the mixture is too runny it won't set as well. I make the mixtures in two batches for ease, so when making, halve the ingredients and do as I do - or not if you want to make it all in one go! The amounts quoted for things like milk are completely changeable, I do everything by eye now and so if it *looks* right to you, leave it, don't feel compelled to add the below amounts.

Spinach, tomato and mustard quiche

For the pastry:
3oz (85g) butter, cold, cubed
6oz (or maybe a bit more depending on butter) plain flour
pinch of salt and pepper
enough water to bind into pastry - usually a tablespoon or so

For the filling:
6 (or 8) eggs, depending on economy
100-150ml milk (can be Jersey milk if you want it creamier - if not, semi-skimmed is excellent)
8 cherry tomatoes or 4 regular
2tsp dijon mustard (can be wholegrain honey mustard instead).
1 large handful of washed, trimmed spinach
salt and pepper
A handful of grated mature cheddar (optional)

a little butter and flour for greasing the tins.

Method:

Preheat oven to 190ºC / gas mk. 5 (175ºC for fan ovens)

In a bowl take the flour, butter and seasoning and rub-in until you're left with a fine breadcrumb consistency and no discernable lumps. Add the cold water slowly, until perfect pastry consistency is achieved. Chill for 30 mins in the fridge.

For the filling beat three (or 4) eggs, mustard, seasoning and milk together in one bowl. Beat for at least one minute. Slice the tomatoes, into half if you've got cherry tomatoes, or slices if they're large tomatoes. Into an 8-inch pie dish or cake sandwich tin, rub a little butter then dust with flour to prevent sticking. Take the pastry out of the fridge and divide equally into two onto a floured surface. Roll out to around ½cm thick and line tin. Repeat for the second tin. Put these into the freezer for 5 minutes or so, it makes for better pastry!

Divide the tomatoes and spinach equally between the two tins and pour over the eggy mixture. If you want to add a little cheese now is the time to do so. Repeat with the second and get them both into the oven as soon as possible. They should take around 30-40 minutes depending on your oven, keep checking on them, they should rise quite nicely.

You can be creative with quiches, once you've got the base, the possibilities are endless. We have a glut of salmon left in the freezer since the wedding, and last year I made a splendiferous 'salmon, pea and mint' quiche, or perhaps broccoli and stilton? Brie and asparagus? Enjoy!