Vegetarian quiche served with coleslaw, baby potato salad, caramelised onion and minty courgette

Find out how Elia bakes up this irresistible vegetarian quiche! Served with freshly made coleslaw, baby potato salad, mouth-watering caramelised onion and minty courgette! Delicious!

Serves: 6

Quiche pastry

Ingredients

• 175g plain flour
• 100g cold butter cut into pieces
• 1 egg yolk

Method

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour together with a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Rub in the butter until you have a soft breadcrumb texture. Add enough cold water to make the crumb mixture come together to form a firm dough, and then rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a 22cm/8½in well-buttered flan dish. Don’t cut off the edges of the pastry yet. Chill again.
3. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.
4. Remove the pastry case from the fridge and line the base of the pastry with baking parchment and then fill it with beans. Place on a baking tray and bake blind for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment and return to the oven for another five minutes to cook the base.

Quiche filling

Ingredients

• 250g grated cheddar
• 4 sliced tomatoes (or any vegetables of your choice)
• 5 beaten eggs
• 100ml milk
• 200ml double cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh herbs like thyme or oregano (optional)
• Add bacon for a non-vegetarian option

Method

1. Sprinkle the cheese into the pastry base and add the sliced tomatoes if you are using them. Fry the bacon pieces until crisp and sprinkle them over the top (ONLY FOR THE NON-VEGETARIAN OPTION).
2. Combine the eggs with the milk and cream in a bowl and season well. Pour over the bacon and cheese. Sprinkle the thyme over the top and trim the edges of the pastry.
3. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until set. Allow to cool and set further.
4. Trim the pastry edges to get a perfect edge and then serve in wedge.

Coleslaw

Ingredients

• 1 small white cabbage or ½ large
• 4 carrots, peeled
• ½ small bunch of dill, chives, parsley or coriander, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 50g mayonnaise 
• 1-2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• A few pinches of paprika

Method

1. Remove any bruised or damaged outer cabbage leaves. Halve through the stem, remove the dense core with a sharp knife and discard. Put cut side down onto a chopping board, and slice as finely as you can into thin shreds. Tip into a bowl.
2. Grate the carrots or cut them into thin strips using a julienne peeler or the grater attachment on the food processor. Tip into the bowl.
3. Add the herbs if used. A mixture is nice if you have some to use up.
4. In a jug, whisk the mustard, mayo, yoghurt and vinegar. Season well, and taste for sharpness and creaminess. Add more vinegar if you like.
5. Tip the dressing into the veg bowl, and mix everything together well with a large spoon. Stir so all the veg gets coated lightly in the dressing. Sprinkle with a few pinches of paprika, and serve straight away. 

Caramelised onion

Ingredients

• 2tbsp olive oil
• 3 large onions (red or white) sliced
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp soft brown sugar (optional tasty addition!)
• 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (also optional)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan over low heat. 
2. Add the onions with a generous pinch of salt and cook slowly for 30-40 mins. Stir occasionally to prevent them from sticking or burning until they become soft and golden. If the onions start to catch, add a splash of water to the pan and mix well.
3. Add the sugar and vinegar to give them a sweet, slightly sharp chutney flavour. Keep cooking on low heat for another 5 mins, stirring occasionally until the mix is sticky, the sugar has dissolved and the vinegar has reduced. The onions are now ready to serve.

Baby potato salad

Ingredients

• 500g pack baby new potato
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 unwaxed lemon
• 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced

Method

1. Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 12-15 mins until just tender. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the mustard with the lemon zest and juice, and slowly whisk in the oil to form a smooth emulsion. Season to taste.
2. Drain the potatoes and tip into a large bowl. Drizzle over the dressing and gently mix. Leave to stand for 15 mins to allow the potatoes to absorb the flavours. To serve, stir the parsley and spring onions into the potatoes. Season to taste and serve immediately.

Minty courgette

Ingredients

• 500g mixed courgettes
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 100ml olive oil
• 1/2 small pack mint

Method

1. Cut the courgettes into small cubes.
2. Sauté the garlic in the oil for a few minutes until brown. Add the diced courgette and cook over medium heat until almost cooked through (about 15 minutes)
3. Add the chopped parsley and salt to taste.
4. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes, or until the courgette is fully cooked.

Nutrional information per serving:

• KCal 780
• Fat 60g
• Carbs 65g
• Sugar 25g
• Fibre 10g
• Protein 16g
• Salt 2g