Salmon and watercress quiche

With buttery pastry, rich smoked salmon and peppery watercress, this delicious quiche is guaranteed to get the taste buds tingling. What's more, it can always be made ahead of time and enjoyed hot or cold.

30 minutes prep. time
1 hour cooking time
Serves 8
Salads & light bites, Pies & savoury treats

Large baked quiche with salmon and watercress filling — Enjoy a slice, or two, of this tasty quiche | © National Trust/William Shaw

150g plain flour
75g butter
2–3 tbsp water
200g smoked salmon
75g watercress
70g spring onion
10g dill
5 eggs
200ml milk
50ml double cream
Salt and pepper

Baking beans

If you haven't got any baking beans for the blind bake, you could use dried pulses and beans, or even rice.

Step 1

For the pastry

Place the flour, salt and butter into a bowl and rub together until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add enough water to bring the mix together into a dough. Wrap in baking parchment, place in the fridge and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Roll the pastry to around 3mm thick. Once rolled, lift the pastry up and use it to line a 23cm sandwich tin, gently pressing it down into place.

Step 3

Lightly prick the base with a fork and blind bake at 170°C (150°C fan/gas mark 3) for 15–20 minutes, until lightly coloured and cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Step 4

For the filling, tear the salmon into bitesize pieces. Next, remove and discard any large or woody stalks from the watercress and roughly chop. Thinly slice the spring onions, and finely chop the dill.

Step 5

Place the smoked salmon, watercress, spring onion and dill in a bowl, and mix to combine well. Place into the cooled pastry case.

Step 6

Place the eggs, milk, double cream and salt and pepper into a large jug and whisk together well.

Step 7

Pour the mixture gently over the filling, and place the dish in the oven at 170°C (150°C fan/gas mark 3) for 30–40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the filling is set, but with a slight wobble.