Traditionally quiche is made with eggs and cream, and the addition of meat, usually bacon, and sometimes topped with cheese. This recipe is totally plant based . The crust is flaky and buttery and filled with an egg like custard with the addition of caramelised onion and sauted mushrooms and is simply delicious.
Enjoy it for breakfast, brunch or dinner or take it on a picnic.
EQUIPMENT
Non stick fry pan, high powered blender, 22cm-26cm pie/flan dish with removable bottom
OVEN TEMPERATURE
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius, 15 minutes before cooking pastry shell
INGREDIENTS FOR THE CRUST
2 cups or 260g of plain white flour
1/3 cup or 50g wholemeal bakers flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
175g vegan butter or nutelex
3-4 tablespoon cold water
METHOD
* Place flours and salt into a large bowl. Add cold butter cut into cubes.
* With your finger tips rub the butter through the flour until it resembles fine bread crumbs.
* Add chilled water a little at a time use your fingers to bind and bring mixture together to form a dough.
* Knead dough as little as possible, form into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge to rest 20-30 minutes.
COOKING THE PASTRY SHELL
* Grease the pie dish.
* Remove dough from fridge and place between two sheets of baking paper or cling wrap or baking sheets.
* With a rolling pin roll out dough large enough to line the bottom and sides of the pan. Use the rolling pin dusted with flour to transfer the dough to the pan.
* Take the pastry and gently lower into your pie dish/pan use fingers to spread dough evenly on the surface and up the sides of dish.
* Place the dish back in the fridge for at least another 30 minutes then remove to bake or bake the pastry blind by placing a sheet of baking paper over the pastry and adding baking beads on top.
* Place quiche crust in pre heated oven and bake 15-20 minutes or until the base is firm to touch and just starting to turn colour.
* Remove from the oven and place on a flat surface.
* Remove baking paper and beads.
CARAMELISE ONION AND MUSHROOM
250g thinly sliced button mushrooms
320g thinly sliced brown onions
METHOD
* Thinly slice onion and mushroom (I use a Mandolin slicer) put in separate bowls.
* Add to a pan 2 tablespoons of light tasting oil and heat on medium to high heat.
* When the pan is hot enough add the onion, cook on medium to low heat stirring and watching it does not burn. It needs to cook and brown slowly for at least 20 minutes until the onion is nicely caramelised.
* When done remove from heat, place in a bowl and set aside.
* Clean pan and place back on the stove top, reheat when it is hot enough add 2 tablespoons of oil then add the button mushrooms.
* Cook mushrooms with a generous pinch of salt on medium heat keep stirring them letting them cook right down, they should have reduced by half and have a nice caramelised look about them.
* When done remove from heat place in a bowl, and set aside.
INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING
1 cup or 130g raw cashews
300g silken tofu
1 cup or 210mls of purified water (room temperature)
1 tablespoon coconut cream * (see note)
1/2 + 1/4 massel chicken like cube
2 heaped tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
3 tablespoons cornflour
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried onion flakes or granules
1/4 teaspoon vegeta seasoning
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
METHOD FOR EGG LIKE CUSTARD FILLING
* Do this step a few minutes before the pastry shell is due to come out of the oven.
* In a high powered blender add raw cashews, silken tofu, water, coconut cream, massel cube, yeast flakes, cornflour, garlic powder, onion granules, vegeta, and turmeric.
Blend on high, stop to scrap down sides, continue blending until the filling is smooth and creamy.
ASSEMBLE
* Remove the precooked pastry shell from the oven and place on a flat surface.
* Take half of the caramelised onion and mushrooms and arrange on the base of the pastry shell.
* Next pour in the egg like custard filling.
* Take the remainder of the caramelised onion and mushroom and arrange on top of the filling, pressing it in gently so it is slightly submerged.
* Finish by giving a light dusting of paprika.
BAKE
* Place quiche in the oven and cook for at least 50 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
* Check after 30 minutes to make sure it is browning evenly, give it a half turn if necessary.
* The quiche is ready when it is a nice light golden colour and the filling is firm to touch.
* Remove from the oven, let it cool completely before slicing. Serve at room temperature.
* I always like to make it a few hours ahead of when I am going to serve it.
* If reheating the quiche make sure it is always heated in the oven.
* Pastry should never be re-heated in a microwave.
NOTE: I use Kara (UHT) brand of coconut cream for the filling found in asian stores and some supermarkets. This brand is thick and creamy.
Kommentare