Instructions: Roll out the pastry thinly and use to line the base and sides of a shallow oblong swiss roll tin about 280 x 180mm.

Trim away and discard the excess pastry from the top rim of the tin then transfer the tin to the freezer while you make the filling.

Heat the butter in a nonstick frying pan on the boiling plate.

Stir in the onion cover and transfer to the simmering oven for about 10 minutes until the onion is softened but not coloured.

Stir in the pesto.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Combine the cream eggs chives and half the cheese in a bowl and beat together with a wire whisk.

Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the pastrylined tin from the freezer and prick the base all over with a fork.

Spread the onion mixture over the base of the pastry.

Carefully pour in the quiche filling and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Slide on to the floor of the roasting oven and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until puffed and golden turning halfway through.

If necessary slide in the cold plain shelf on the second set of runners.

Leave the tin on top of a wire rack to cool.

When ready the quiche can be cut into rounds using a 30mm plain cutter or larger if you like.

To heat them up arrange the quiches on a baking tray and leave on the floor of the roasting oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until tinged golden and piping hot.

This is a quick easy way to make a party quantity of bitesize quiches and serve them hot.Making one large quiche in a swiss roll on then cutting it out into miniature rounds is far quicker and less fiddly than making individual tiny quiches. For me the cutting out technique wins hand down. Also there is only pastry on the bottom of the little quiches with this method so its healthier and less fattening.

Makes about 40

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.