Flan This is very versatile and it’s easy to add more vegetable like spinach, grated courgette and plenty of herbs to the egg cream mix for a tasty mid week dish or easy al fresco dining and the pastry can be frozen.
The Ingredients
For the pastry
- 200g plain flour
- 120g butter, diced
- 3 to 4 tbsp cold water
For the filling
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 2 garlic clovers, finely chopped
- 2 red or yellow peppers, thinly sliced
- 250g cherry tomatoes
- 2 sweetcorn, steamed and the kernels cut off the cob (optional)
- 200ml cream
- 4 eggs, beaten
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped mixed herbs (thyme, parsley, dill)
- Olive oil
- Egg wash, to glaze
- Sprigs of thyme, for garnishing
The Method
To make the pastry
STEP 1
Place the flour into a bowl and rub in the diced butter. Pour in enough cold water to form a pastry dough. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge to “rest” for 30 minutes.
To prepare the filling
STEP 1
Heat a frying pan with a little oil and add the onion, sauté until softened but not brown. Add the garlic and peppers and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove and leave to cool.
To line the flan with pastry
STEP 1
Brush a deep 23cm loose base flan tin with butter and dust with flour. Roll the pastry out thinly on a floured surface and then line the tin and trim the edges. Preheat the oven to 210C/fan 190C/gas 7. Chill again for 20 minutes.
STEP 2
Lightly prick the base of the pastry with a fork, line with parchment paper and baking beans. Blind bake for 16 minutes. Remove the paper and baking beans, brush with egg wash and bake for a further 6 to 7 minutes until lightly golden.
To assemble
STEP 1
Whisk the eggs, cream and herbs together. Spoon the onion and pepper mixture into the pastry base as well as the sweetcorn (optional). Arrange the tomatoes in the base.
STEP 2
Pour in the egg cream and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes until just set and lightly golden. Cool, garnish with sprigs of thyme and serve with a green salad.
