We had a big party last weekend. In keeping with family tradition, we shopped four times to stock up in the days leading to Saturday and on the big day itself, I had to send hubs for a last minute, super duper emergency session in the supermarket. Among other things, he bought clotted cream. “Surely you can use this, right?” he said and I agreed. Clotted cream, amazing. We spent a week in Cornwall this spring and ate my daughter’s weight in clotted cream – how could I not use it!

Here I was though, seven days later, looking at my pot of clotted cream, wrecking my brain as to how to use it before it expired. We’re not big scone eaters, so scones and cream were not on the menu. Neither was ice-cream – in case anyone outside UK reads this, I do believe there’s hardly a habitable place on earth, maybe with exception of Greenland, that is colder than this island right now. It’s hearty soups and stews time, not ice-cream and flip-flops weather.

It’s not all bad though. Eyeing up the clotted cream that was starting to obsess me by now, I suggested a quiche for lunch. Suggestion was met with enthusiasm so voila, super seasonal quiche. The recipe for the pastry is a brilliant basic to have in your inventory for savoury tarts and quiches. My filling included Jersey Royals and spring onions, topped with cheddar cheese, clotted cream and chives. Even though the wind outside hardly spells summer, I can still pretend, right? Also, isn’t this the best use of seasonal ingredients to put an English spin on the French quiche? I loved it.

To make the pastry, you’ll need:
280g strong white bread flour / plain flour
140g unsalted butter, cold, cut in cubes
8 – 10 tablespoons cold water

In a large bowl, mix flour with butter, using your hands, until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Start by adding 8 tablespoons of cold water and mixing until pastry comes together. Add 1 tablespoon water in case pastry has not fully mixed. It took me a total of 10 tablespoons to incorporate all flour. Use straight away or wrap in cling film and refrigerate until use. It will keep in the fridge up to 2 days.

To make the filling, you’ll need:
300g new potatoes (I used Jersey Royal), peeled and washed
200g mature cheddar, grated
3 large eggs
120g clotted cream
2 teaspoons chives, chopped
2 – 3 spring onions
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven at 200C.
Roll the pastry and transfer to a well buttered tart tin. Remove any excess dough from edges. Place in fridge for 20 minutes to chill.
Remove from fridge, poke a few holes with a fork in the pastry, then line it with baking paper. Add baking beans / rice to tin and place on middle rack in oven.
After 20 minutes, remove baking beans and baking paper and put pastry back in oven, until golden brown, about 5 – 7 minutes.
In the meantime, par-boil potatoes. You want them cooked but not mashable. When ready, drain potatoes of water and then cut into quarters.
Beat eggs well, then add clotted cream. Beat some more to incorporate. Add cheese and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Separately, chop the spring onions finely.
Remove pastry shell from oven. Arrange potatoes in tin, cut side down. Sprinkle spring onions evenly. Pour the egg, cheese and clotted cream filling on top, making sure it’s spread as evenly as possible.
Place back in oven to bake for approx 30 minutes. Quiche is ready when filling is golden brown on top, it has set and no liquid oozes out when you insert a knife / fork inside.
Remove from tart tin and try not to eat it all in one sitting. Or do and make more tomorrow.