Adam and Alasdair – two lovely fellas who have started a food blog called 101 Ways To Cook Mushrooms – have posted my good friend April’s red lentil quiche recipe today. It’s super delicious, and very easy to make, even if you’re as unwilling a cook as I am… I’d recommend it for picnics, along with a side helping of potato salad and some chilled white wine.

It’s the only recipe I’ve ever asked a friend for, after eating it at April’s house about fifteen years ago. I’ve no idea where she originally got it from, and until now the only copy I’ve had has been hand-written in pencil on a very dog-eared and stained piece of A4 paper, so I’m thrilled to be finally typing it out.

Ingredients

• 8oz shortcrust pastry
• 4oz red lentils
• 1 can tinned tomatoes
• 1 onion peeled and chopped
• 8 fluid oz water
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 6 oz mature cheddar, grated
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Roll out the pastry and use it to line a flan ring. Place some baking paper in the pastry case and cover it with dried beans or rice before baking for 8-10 minutes at 220C. This helps the pastry stay nice and crispy when you add the filling.
2. Wash the lentils and put them in a saucepan with the tomatoes, onion, water, and salt and pepper.
3. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently until the lentils are tender – likely to be about ten minutes.
4. Cool the mixture slightly then mix in the eggs and cheese.
5. Pour the mixture into the pastry case and cook in the oven at 200 C for 20 minutes.
6. Turn the oven off, but leave the door closed and leave the quiche in for another ten minutes.
7. Serve hot or cold, with a nice salad and a large glass of white wine.

I’ve never really followed a food blog before, despite the fact that I love eating, but I’m making a point of checking in on 101 Ways to Cook Mushrooms every day because the recipes they’ve featured so far have all been super easy and sound yummy.

With the exception of the mushroom ones…urgh!

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Photo by Hannah Tasker on Unsplash