Linda Duffin (aka Mrs Portly) is a food writer, recipe developer and cookery school owner based in rural Suffolk. Each month she shares one of her delicious recipes
Think of a crustless quiche as the love child of a regular quiche and a frittata. It has, by definition, no pastry, so it immediately feels lighter to eat (however good your pastry is). But it retains the creamy, custardy inside of a quiche.
It’s the perfect recipe for summer-into-autumn. You can eat it still warm from the oven on those cooler days, or in the event of an Indian summer, pack it up and take it to the park or the beach for a picnic. I like it best when it’s lukewarm, but it eats equally well cold, although preferably not straight from the fridge. And while you can add a good, crusty baguette, it really needs nothing more than a couple of salads on the side to make it into a good meal.
I used courgettes and goat’s cheese, but you can put anything in it you’d normally add to a quiche or frittata, although I’d always include plenty of herbs and perhaps some fried spring onions or shallots for a flavour boost. Vegetarians can pretty much go wild with whatever is seasonal, and if you eat meat, ham and cheese makes a lovely combination. Just be sure that any vegetables are lightly pre-cooked. And that they’re not too wet (I’m thinking of you, spinach), otherwise it will affect the setting quality.
If you’re using courgettes, I’ve given directions here on how to prepare them using either an air fryer or a conventional grill. All air fryers are different so if yours needs pre-heating, please add that to the timings and check the courgettes after five minutes, turning if necessary.
Crustless quiche with courgettes and goat’s cheese recipe
Ingredients:
300-350g courgettes (about 4 or 5 small ones)
Most of a 150g goat’s cheese log (I used Chavroux and absent-mindedly ate the ends)
5 medium eggs (60g each, weighed in the shell)
250ml double cream
70g finely grated Parmesan
A big handful of chopped herbs (I used chervil, chives and basil)
Salt and pepper
Method:
Trim the ends off the courgettes and slice into rings, about 1 to 1.5cm thick. Spray with oil, sprinkle with salt and either air fry at 200C for six to eight minutes or grill in a single layer until lightly browned on both sides. Scoop onto a plate lined with kitchen paper and allow to cool.
Turn the oven to 180C/160 fan/Gas Mark 4.
Butter a deep 20cm spring-form cake tin and line it with a sheet of buttered kitchen paper. The paper should come most of the way up the tin. Trim it roughly to shape and press out any folds, otherwise you’ll have a crinkly quiche.
Slice the goat’s cheese log into rounds and then cut them into chunks. Arrange them on the bottom of the lined tin.
Beat the eggs with the cream, then stir in the parmesan, herbs and courgettes. Season with a quarter to half a teaspoon of salt (to taste) and a good grind of pepper, stir again, then pour into the tin.
Cook for 30-35 minutes until the crustless quiche is set and lightly browned but still has a slight wobble in the middle. You may need to rotate it after 20 minutes if your oven cooks unevenly. Remember it will continue to cook as it cools.
Remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 10 minutes before unclipping. I leave mine on the base until the quiche is tepid. Slice with a sharp knife and tuck in, or cool completely and refrigerate. Let it come back to room temperature before eating.
Find out more about Mrs Portly’s Kitchen classes at mrsportlyskitchen.co.uk
