Quidhampton Nettle Quiche
If you want to give nettle foraging a go, but nettle soup seems a bit full-on, this quiche is the answer. As a first foray into baking with nettles, it provides a subtle flavour without skimping on the experience. This quiche is named after the first place in which I foraged nettles, a secluded wood which was just a few days away from bursting with bluebells.
When foraging, make sure you take precautions: a sturdy pair of leather/gardening gloves, and some sharp scissors, are necessities to avoid the sting. To deaden the sting, you just need to blanch the leaves in hot water. Formic acid, which is responsible for the stinging sensation, splits into carbon dioxide and hydrogen when heated with water, making them safe to handle and to eat. Yes, I consulted a chemistry teacher for that fact.
This recipe makes a small, 20cm round quiche. Serve with a side salad of bright green pea shoots.
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry
For the topping (optional)
Equipment
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan (220°C non fan). Begin by foraging the nettles. Wearing leather/gardening gloves, cut only the first few leaves from the top of each stem. Choose a secluded spot, like this wood, away from traffic/pollution.
2. Still wearing the gloves, remove the stalks, weigh them (you need 60g in total) and then wash the nettles.
3. Blanch the leaves, a spoonful at a time (to maximise your control over the blanching time), in a saucepan of boiling water (keep the water on a rolling boil between batches). They will only take about 30 seconds to blanch - you're just looking to deaden the sting, which should happen upon contact with the water. You can check by lightly touching the nettles - they should no longer sting! Using a slotted spoon, transfer the blanched nettles to a sheet of kitchen paper, to absorb the excess water. Use the kitchen paper to remove as much water as possible. Choose five or so leaves that are still intact to decorate the top of the quiche, and spread them out flat. Put all the nettles to one side.
If you want to give nettle foraging a go, but nettle soup seems a bit full-on, this quiche is the answer. As a first foray into baking with nettles, it provides a subtle flavour without skimping on the experience. This quiche is named after the first place in which I foraged nettles, a secluded wood which was just a few days away from bursting with bluebells.
When foraging, make sure you take precautions: a sturdy pair of leather/gardening gloves, and some sharp scissors, are necessities to avoid the sting. To deaden the sting, you just need to blanch the leaves in hot water. Formic acid, which is responsible for the stinging sensation, splits into carbon dioxide and hydrogen when heated with water, making them safe to handle and to eat. Yes, I consulted a chemistry teacher for that fact.
This recipe makes a small, 20cm round quiche. Serve with a side salad of bright green pea shoots.
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry
- 50g butter
- 25g lard
- 150g plain flour
- Cold water to mix
- 1 egg, beaten, for brushing
- 60g foraged nettles, destalked (dry weight)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 72g pack prosciutto
- 1 onion
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 250g ricotta
- 100g feta
- Salt and pepper
For the topping (optional)
- Sunflower seeds
- Blanched nettle leaves
- Dried edible flowers
Equipment
- 20cm loose-bottomed tin
- Rolling pin
- Baking parchment
- Baking beans
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan (220°C non fan). Begin by foraging the nettles. Wearing leather/gardening gloves, cut only the first few leaves from the top of each stem. Choose a secluded spot, like this wood, away from traffic/pollution.
2. Still wearing the gloves, remove the stalks, weigh them (you need 60g in total) and then wash the nettles.
3. Blanch the leaves, a spoonful at a time (to maximise your control over the blanching time), in a saucepan of boiling water (keep the water on a rolling boil between batches). They will only take about 30 seconds to blanch - you're just looking to deaden the sting, which should happen upon contact with the water. You can check by lightly touching the nettles - they should no longer sting! Using a slotted spoon, transfer the blanched nettles to a sheet of kitchen paper, to absorb the excess water. Use the kitchen paper to remove as much water as possible. Choose five or so leaves that are still intact to decorate the top of the quiche, and spread them out flat. Put all the nettles to one side.
4. To make the pastry, rub the butter and lard into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs, and then add cold water by the tablespoon (start with 4 tbsp and add more if necessary), until a dough forms. Leave to rest, covered in the fridge for 10 minutes. Then roll it into a circle on a lightly floured surface and line the 20cm loose-bottomed tin with the pastry. You can trim the sides at this stage if you wish, but I wait until the final bake (see below). Place a sheet of baking paper in the centre and fill with baking beans.
5. Bake the pastry case at 200°C fan (210°C non fan) for 15 minutes, then remove the baking beans and prick the base with a fork. Bake for another 5 minutes, then remove the pastry and brush the base and sides with beaten egg (yolk and white). Bake for a further 8 minutes until lightly brown. (See pictures below). Turn the oven down to 160°C fan (180°C non fan).
5. Bake the pastry case at 200°C fan (210°C non fan) for 15 minutes, then remove the baking beans and prick the base with a fork. Bake for another 5 minutes, then remove the pastry and brush the base and sides with beaten egg (yolk and white). Bake for a further 8 minutes until lightly brown. (See pictures below). Turn the oven down to 160°C fan (180°C non fan).
6. Using a hand blender/food processor, blitz 80g of the blanched, drained nettles with the zest of one lemon. Tear the proscuitto into small pieces and fry in a saucepan over a medium heat in a small amount of olive oil. Using the same pan, fry the onion until lightly brown.
7. Mix the proscuitto, onion and nettle mixture together and then press it into the bottom of the pastry case, lightly but compactly.
8. Blitz the remaining nettles using a hand blender/food processor. Mix the remaining nettles, beaten eggs, ricotta and crumbled feta together, then season generously with salt and pepper.
9. Pour the filling over the nettle base and then bake at 160°C fan (180°C non fan) for about 40 minutes until just set: it should be firm, with a little bounce.
10. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly in the tin before releasing the quiche, trimming the excess pastry (I use a potato peeler to do this delicately) and leave to cool fully.
11. Decorate with the nettle leaves, edible flowers, and sunflower seeds. Serve with a salad.
10. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly in the tin before releasing the quiche, trimming the excess pastry (I use a potato peeler to do this delicately) and leave to cool fully.
11. Decorate with the nettle leaves, edible flowers, and sunflower seeds. Serve with a salad.