Deep Pan ‘Cheesy’ Veg Quiche

From time to time I find myself at a loose end, needing to produce a quick simple meal that all the family will devour – and to use up the veggies in the fridge whilst I’m at it.  As often as not, I fall back on the trusty old staple, the quiche.  This one I was particularly pleased with, as I used the well-matched combination of mushrooms, red pepper, and spring onions for the  base, and firm tofu (but no egg replacer in this case) for the filling.  This quiche cuts well, and can be served either warm or cold – I personally prefer not to heat it, and will last for a few days in the fridge. Serve for lunch, or for a light supper, with a simple salad – it goes very well with a basil and tomato salad with a balsamic vinaigrette !

You will need a deep quiche tray for this dish – mine is 2” deep by 10” diameter.

INGREDIENTS FOR VEGGIE BASE

1½  cups chopped mushrooms

½ red bell pepper, chopped

2 spring onions, chopped

teriyaki sauce (available in the US from here, and in the UK from here)

Chop and fry the veggies and, when cooked, add 1 tablespoon of teriyaki sauce.

EGG FREE FILLING

2 x 349g packs firm tofu (I use Mori-Nu which is GMO-free – available from here in the US, and here in the UK) – be sure to remove any excess water from the tofu.

2 cups shredded vegan cheese of your choice (I used a mixture of the mozzarella and mild cheddar from my book)

Himalayan salt to taste (available in the US from here, and in the UK from here)

2 Tbsp vegan milk of your choice

1½ heaped tsp cornstarch (cornflour)

¼ tsp ground turmeric (available in the US from here, and in the UK from here)

sesame seeds for garnishing

INGREDIENTS FOR PASTRY

¾ cup plain unbleached flour

¾ cup wholemeal/wholewheat flour (for gluten-free, try this link for the US, or here for the UK)

1/3 cup margarine (non-dairy)

a pinch of salt

around 3 to 4 Tbsp cold water

METHOD FOR PASTRY

1. Place all the pastry ingredients (except for the water) in your food processor, and mix until the consistency resembles that of breadcrumbs.
2. Transfer into a large mixing bowl, and slowly add the water, whilst kneading the mixture with your hands until a ball is formed.  Dust the ball with flour, then place it in a plastic bag and refrigerate for an hour or so.

METHOD FOR BASE

1. First preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC)
2. Roll out your pastry, and shape into the base of your pre-greased quiche tray. Now place your tray with the dough into the oven for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
3. Now spoon on the precooked veggies, sprinkle on some more teriyaki sauce, and set aside whilst you go and make your filling.

METHOD FOR FILLING

1. Easy, just place all the ingredients in your food processor, and process until smooth.  You should be left with a thick creamy filling.
2. Spoon this onto the base of the veggies, and sprinkle on your sesame seeds or other seeds of your choice.
3. Bake in a hot oven until golden on top – it should be nicely set, remember as it will cool it will also set. Bon Appétit !

All recipes and content © Miriam Sorrell www.mouthwateringvegan.com 2010

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