Kale and pear quiches

Today was a whooping nice day, it felt like 30˚C and it also happened to be a Sunday - yippee!
That's definitely beach weather we thought and started early, or at least tried, to get to the beach. We weren't alone and by the time we got there, it was already quite busy. Never mind, with coffee and ice- cream in hand we walked through the sand and found a nice spot.
The thing with the Australian sun is though, I can never bear her for long. So, after two hours we packed our stuff and strolled through Surry Hills, were they had a music festival of some sort. Bands played at different shops, cafes and along Crown Street to entertain the passers by.

On Crown Street is also a very nice grocery store/deli where I bought some nice ingredients for our dinner. Kale, pears, smoked bacon and sour cream shortcrust pastry from Careme. If you haven't come across these guys from the Barossa, you must. Of course, to make shortcrust pastry yourself is not difficult but if you short for time or can't be bothered, then try Careme.

The combination of kale and pear works really well, and the bacon and Gruyere give a lot of
yummy savoury flavour. The sour cream in the pastry makes it so flaky, it's more like puff pastry.
Delish!

Kale and pear mini quiches

Makes six

1 pack (375g) sour cream shortcrust pastry, Careme

 

4 smoked bacon rashers, rind removed

150 g kale, stems removed

100g  Gruyere cheese, grated

3 eggs

125 ml thickened cream

125 ml milk

1 large pear

Preheat oven to 200˚C. Roll pastry out on a lightly floured surface, then cut into six squares so that they are large enough to line the tin base and sides. Cut away any excess pastry from the edges. Prick bases with a fork a few times. Chill for 15 minutes.

Put tarts on a baking tray. Line the tarts with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or uncooked lentils. Blind bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove paper and weights and bake for a further 5 minutes or until pastry is golden. Remove and set aside.

For the filling chopped bacon and cook in a frying pan over low heat until bacon is brown and crisp. Add chopped kale and ½ cup of water and cook over medium heat until kale is soft and water has completely evaporated. Set aside to cool.

Once cooled sprinkle bacon and kale over the six bases, followed by the grated Gruyere cheese. 

Whisk together eggs, cream and milk, then carefully pour the egg mixture over the bacon.

Finely slice the pear with a mandolin and place a few slices on top of each filling.

Return quiches to the hot oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden and set.

Serve with a green salad.