Preheat oven to 190C

Spray a 24cm deep quiche pan (approx 3.5cm deep) with non stick baking spray and then line with the Careme shortcrust pastry making sure you don’t stretch the pastry. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork in several places. 

Place a piece of crumpled baking paper inside the pastry shell and then fill with baking weights. You can use dried spilt peas or dried chick peas if you don’t have any baking weights.

Bake in the oven for approx 15 – 18 mins until the outside is golden brown. Remove the baking weights and baking paper and return to the oven and cook a further 10 mins so that the base becomes cooked as well. Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool in the quiche pan.

While the pastry is cooking, microwave the pumpkin until it is just starting to soften and put aside to cool.

Add the sliced onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to a saucepan and cook over a low heat until the onion is brown and caramelised.

Place the chopped spinach into a dry pan and wilt over medium heat. This will not only wilt the spinach but also dry it out as it wilts.

In a small bowl add the eggs, cream and parmesan and whisk together lightly. Season with salt and pepper. 

Into the cooled pastry shell (still in the quiche pan), scatter the slightly cooked pumpkin, the crumbled feta and spinach, then drape over the caramelised onion. 

Pour in the egg mixture until it reaches just below the pastry edge.

Place the filled pastry shell back into the oven and cook for 30mins or until set.

Cool slightly then serve scattered with shopped parsley.

By: Chrissy Rob