AirFryday: Rustic aubergine quiche

I actually made two quiches, one after the other, the aubergine one in the photo, for which the recipe is below, and a more conventional bacon and cheese one. Both turned out fine though the first one that I cooked, the bacon quiche, stayed in the machine a tad too long for my liking and came out overly browned. Both were delicious though.

You can blind-bake in an air fryer, using weights, but I would use heavy baking weights, the little round stones, because rice, the frequent alternative, may be too lightweight and risks being flown around the air fryer with the rapid movement of hot air.

I used Pyrex oven-proof dishes for the quiches and they worked a treat. This recipe is per one quiche; double if making two. (If preferred, simply substitute cooked bacon rashers or bacon bits for the aubergine.)

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

1 quantity frozen puff pastry, just thawed 

2 tsp olive oil 

1 medium brinjal/aubergine, in scallop-shaped slices

1 white onion, finely chopped 

5 XL eggs 

125 ml (1/2 cup) cream 

125 ml (1/2 cup) full cream milk 

100 g coarsely grated Karoo Blue or Grana Padano cheese

Salt and pepper

Method

Line an 18 cm round tart tin or ovenproof pie dish with puff pastry, which you’ve rolled out and cut into a round to fit the tin or dish.

Fill the pastry with baking weights.

Preheat the air fryer at 180℃ for 5 minutes or until your machine tells you to “add food”, as my new Instant Vortex Plus air fryer does. (I could not use my Kenwood twin drawer machine for this as the basket is too narrow).

Cook the pastry at 180℃ for 6 minutes. Remove the pastry weights.

Prick the base many times with a fork. Cook for another 6 minutes at 160℃. Remove to a rack to cool.

Fry the brinjals on both sides in olive oil until just done.

Cook the onion, stirring, until softened. Set aside to cool.

Whisk the eggs, cream and milk together in a bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Place the brinjal slices in the pastry case and spoon the onion in. Sprinkle with the cheese. Pour over the dairy mixture, slowly, while it pools at the bottom and rises up.

Cook at 160℃ for 20-25 minutes or until filling is set. Set aside to cool. It’s ideally served with a crisp, lively salad. DM

Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the year award, in 2021 and 2023

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