Quick, tasty, protein and calcium rich quiche.

Working up an appetite at Catseye Beach

I believe the best thing about summer school holidays is breaking up the regular, rigorous routine and being outdoors with the kids, making the most of our beautiful sunshine, beaches and parklands. This year my husband and I have treated our tribe to a trip to Hamilton Island, a gorgeous tropical gateway to the Whitsundays and we’ve really made the most of the water activities on offer. I’ve dubbed the littlest ones “water babies” because they will only leave the pool or pacific ocean when they are hungry! 

Outdoor activities, whether they take place locally or away at a holiday destination, tend to really stimulate the appetite, so it’s practical to have pantry and fridge staples to make mealtimes just that little bit more manageable. My Quick Holiday Quiche for Hungry Kids can be mixed up in less than 10 minutes and then left in the oven to bake, while you splash about in the pool, build sandcastles, paddle out on a canoe or play another round of backyard cricket with the kids. 

Pristine waters of Whitehaven Beach


Quick Holiday Quiche  
6 – 8 substantial slices

Ingredients

250g bacon, cut into little bite sized pieces
1 Spanish onion, finely diced
1 small clove garlic crushed
1 teaspoon dried herbs (thyme and tarragon go well together)
8 eggs, preferably free range or organic
300ml pouring cream
125 g grated cheddar
100g soft white cheese (either brie, camembert or ricotta)
sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 sheets of puff pastry (I used the readily available Pampas brand)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees fan-forced. 

Lightly grease a baking tin or ceramic dish with butter. I used a rectangular ceramic dish measuring 30cm x 20cm x 5cm in depth. It was the largest baking dish I could find in the kitchen of the holiday house we have rented. 

Pan fry the bacon, onion, garlic and herbs in a splash of olive oil for 5 minutes over a medium heat. Stir to distribute the heat and prevent burning. 

Whisk together in a bowl the eggs, cream, cheddar, salt and pepper. 

Line the base and sides of your baking dish with the puff pastry, overlapping at the base if you find the sheets are too large. This is a rustic, holiday dish, not fine dining, so don’t be a perfectionist at this point. 

Combine the bacon, onion etc with the wet eggy cheese mixture and gently pour into the puff pastry lined baking dish. 

Slice or crumble your favourite soft white cheese over the surface and place into the oven. 

Bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown. If you use a wider and more shallow baking pan, reduce the cooking time by 10 minutes. 

When ready, slice into generous portions and serve with a crisp salad. This quiche holds it’s shape well and can also be tucked into lunch or picnic boxes and eaten cold.