I have wanted to have a go at a whole wheat pastry for ages. The results were amazing the base was so thin and crispy with a lovely earthy flavour and there was no need to blind bake. I’m not keen on the eggy flavour of quiches so the filling recipe worked so well and I used milk instead of cream to keep the filling nice and light and the calories down. Cheese, spinach and bacon are such a classic combination. This tart didn’t last very long and it will be my go to pastry base recipe from now on.

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 100g whole wheat flour
• 100g plain flour
• 100g cold butter, cubed
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp cold water

For the filling

• 1 leek, finely sliced
• 150g smoked pancetta or bacon lardons
• 260g spinach leaves
• drizzle of oil for frying
• 100g gruyere or parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp thyme, leaves only
• 2 eggs
• 150ml whole milk
• pinch of nutmeg

Directions

1. Add the flour’s and salt to a food processor . Tip in the cubed cold butter (I popped mine in the freezer while I weighed out my flours). Pulse until you have a fine crumb. Add the egg and water and pulse again until it mixes in. Tip the flour onto a work surface and bring together with your hands to form a ball, try to this with the least amount of kneading. Wrap in Clingfilm and put in the fridge for at least an hour.
2. Place the pastry on a floured surface and roll with a rolling pin, turning the pastry each time so you get a roundish shape mine was thin about 1-2 mm
3. Spay a 23cm flan dish with cooking spray (or grease with butter). Place the rolled pastry over the tin and press in the sides and repair any cracks. Cut off any excess pastry and place back in the fridge.
4. Pre heat oven to 170 degrees (fan). While pastry base is resting make the filling. Heat a drizzle of olive oil to a frying pan, add the sliced leeks and fry over a medium heat for a couple of minutes, tip in the pancetta and fry for another 3 minutes until the pancetta is cooked and leeks have softened (keep moving the mixture around so it doesn’t brown). Add in the spinach and place a lid on leave to wilt for a couple of minutes stirring occasionally. Once wilted transfer to a bowl double lined with kitchen roll and place another 2 sheets on top, lightly press to extract moisture and fat.
5. Make the setting liquid by adding the milk and eggs to a jug, whisk to combine. Add in a pinch of nutmeg and the thyme leaves stir to combine.
6. Get the pastry base from the fridge, add half over grated cheese. Spread out the spinach mixture evenly and pour in the milk mixture. Top with the rest of the cheese and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Enjoy.