If you are not a fan of the extreme eggy quiche, you will be a fan of this cheesy veggie one. The key is: don’t use too many eggs and make sure to add plenty of cheese. Oh, and don’t forget the vegetables – it does have to be the least bit healthy now, doesn’t it?
The versatility of this snack/dish is the fact that you can use up many leftover vegetables in your fridge – this way, it always tastes different.
As a light, healthy dinner or an easy lunch to take to work, eating it hot or cold with or without a salad, a quiche is a comfortable option for many occasions.
Ingredients
▪ 1 roll of round puff pastry
▪ 2 tablespoons olive oil
▪ 3 carrots
▪ ½ French onion
▪ 1 big onion
▪ 2 cloves garlic
▪ handful of spinach (double the amount if fresh)
▪ handful of fresh rocket
▪ ½ zucchini
▪ salt and pepper
▪ fresh chopped cilantro
▪ ground nutmeg
▪ cumin seeds
▪ 1-2 eggs
▪ 125ml cream
▪ 150 grams grated cheddar cheese (or any other cheese of your choice)
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven at 200°C. Slice the French and normal onion, mince the garlic and dice the carrots and zucchini.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil plus the cumin seeds on low-medium heat and start frying the carrots. After five minutes of tossing and turning, add the zucchini, onions and garlic. After another five minutes, add the remaining vegetables (rocket and spinach). Season with salt, pepper and chopped cilantro. Let cool.
In a bowl, mix the eggs, half the grated cheese, cream and nutmeg.
Without separating the puff pastry from the paper, line it in a round tart tin (about 30cm of diameter), sprinkle a bit of cheese, display the sautéed vegetables, cover with egg, cream and cheese mix and slightly incorporate it with the vegetables. Top with the remaining cheese.
If the pastry edges become to high, compared to the amount of filling, don’t be afraid to fold so the quiche becomes prettier.
Bake until the edges of the pastry become golden and the filling has slightly browned.
Let cool before cutting, serving and storing for further use.
By Megan Melling
Megan Melling’s journey into the food world started in 2011 when she decided to enrol in Cookery and Food Production in Estoril. She was born American, but grew up in the Algarve, so she gets the best of two opposite culinary cultures. She has worked as a cook in Lisbon for the past year and is currently in the process of opening up a gourmet project in Lagos. Check out all of her personal recipes on her blog www.melsvittles.wordpress.com and facebook page Mel’s Vittles for some yummy photos and food facts.
www.facebook.com/pages/Mels-Vittles/111286668959220
