Vegan Spinach Quiche
Ingredients:
Pastry:-170g white spelt flour
-60g rye flour
-6 tbs Donegal Rapeseed Oil
- 1 tbs ground flax
-3 tbs lukewarm water
-Pinch of salt
Cream:
-300g silken tofu, drained
-1 tsp miso paste
-1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
Vegetables:
- 1 tbs Donegal Rapeseed Oil
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 stick of celery, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 5 blocks of frozen spinach (about 420g)
- 3 tbs white wine
- ½ tsp Marigold vegan bouillon powder
- 2 tsp dried wild oregano
- Cracked black pepper
Other stuff:
- 1 small potato (about 100g)
- 2 pieces of sun-dried tomato (in oil), roughly chopped
Instructions
Start with the Pastry.
1. Combine the flax and lukewarm water. Leave for 5 or 10 minutes until it’s an egg-like in consistency. Then put it in the freezer for five minutes until the liquid is cold.
2. While the flax is getting ready, mix the flours and salt. Then add the oil a tablespoon at a time while rubbing the oil into the flour with your fingers. You should achieve a breadcrumb like meal.
3. Add the flax bit by bit and mix until a dough has formed. Wrap in cling film and put in the freezer for 20 minutes.
4. Put the baking stone, if using, onto the middle shelf of the oven. Pre-heat it to 190 degrees Celsius.
Now onto the vegetables.
5. In a heavy based pan, over a medium heat, sauté the shallot, garlic and celery until fragrant and beginning to soften – about 8 minutes.
6. Add the spinach, white wine, oregano and Marigold. Allow the spinach to defrost and some of the white wine to cook off – 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Back to the pastry.
7. While the vegetables are cooking, brush the inside of the tart tin with some oil – make sure to get into any creases or grooves.
8. Remove the pastry from the freezer. Scatter a little flour on a surface and on your rolling pin.
9. Carefully roll out the pastry into a large circle – about 14 inches in diameter. It may crumble or break a little bit. Be careful to roll evenly and not with too much force and it stays together. Use a large knife, if needs be, to slide under the pastry if it is stuck to the counter. Hang over the rolling pin and lay over the greased baking tin. Gently press it into the tin, from the middle out. Trim the excess pastry that’s hanging along the rim. You can use it to patch up any holes that may have appeared.
10. Prick the pastry a few times with a fork. Line with baking paper and fill the tin with baking beans or rice. Blind bake for 12 minutes in the pre-heated oven.
Completing the filling.
12.Prick the potato a few times, wrap in kitchen paper and microwave on full heat for 3 minutes, turning over once. When it’s cool enough to touch, peel it and cut into small (3cm) cubes. If you don’t have a microwave, peel and dice the potato and them steam or boil for 10 minutes.
11. By now, the vegetables should be removed from the heat. In a small food processor, or using a hand blender, blend the tofu, miso, mustard and Worcestershire sauce until the smoother cream forms. Fold the cream, potatoes and sundries tomatoes into the vegetable mixture. Add black pepper and salt to your liking.
12. Remove the blind baked pastry. Turn the over up to 200 degrees Celsius. Spoon out the baking beads and remove the baking paper. Pour the filling into the pastry and smooth it out as best as you can. Bake from 30 minutes, when the top is almost caramelised and has begun to solidify. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes on a cooling rack. Then pop the sides down, slice and enjoy!
