Tasty Västerbotten Quiche from Peters Yard and Signe Johansen’s cookbook Smörgåsbord

Filling and flavourful, you can serve this alongside a bowl of buttery dill potatoes and salad for a larger lunch or light dinner – it can also be easily prepared in advance.

YOU WILL NEED:

• 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• Pinch of salt
• 150g unsalted butter, cubed and very cold
• 4 medium eggs
• 3-4 tbsp water
• 200g Västerbotten cheese* or other sharp, mature cheese like cheddar
• 200ml double cream
• Salt and pepper
• 24cm fluted flan tin

To serve: red lumpfish roe (optional), sour cream and dill

*You can buy Västerbotten cheese from Ocado and good cheesemongers.

METHOD

Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the salt and butter and use your fingers to work into the flour to a breadcrumb texture. In a measuring jug, beat 2 of the eggs together with 3 tablespoons of the water and slowly add to the flour, stirring between additions until starting to form a dough, add more water if necessary. Tip onto a work surface and bring the pastry dough together with your hands to form a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Grate the Västerbotten cheese. Mix the cream and eggs in a bowl and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Add the cheese and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/R6. On a floured work surface, roll the chilled pastry out to about 3mm thick, large enough to line a 24cm fluted flan tin. Line the tin with the pastry and trim the edges with a sharp knife. Prick the base all over with a fork and refrigerate for a further 20 mins.

Blind bake the pastry case by lining with parchment and fill with ceramic baking beans, dried pulses or rice. Bake for 15-20 minutes then remove the parchment and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes or so until the base is a pale biscuit colour.

Tip in the cheese filling and bake for about 30 minutes, until the top of the quiche is golden but still has a slight wobble – it will continue to cook as it cools.

Once at room temperature, decorate with dollops of soured cream, lumpfish roe and sprigs of dill. Serve with a green salad or as an accompaniment to crayfish.