[in the kitchen] Roasted Sweet Potato, Pumpkin & Feta Quiche

As I have said previously, I do love to cook. I enjoy both making meals and baking. Recently I discovered just how easy quiche is - for some reason I had not ever made an 'authentic' quiche, only savoury impossible pie (which is also good of course, but that's another post!).


A few weeks ago I wanted to make a light meal that used up the contents of our crisper and also used a some feta that I'd bought and managed not to use for it's 'intended' purpose. I also had some cream that had been purchased for another use that hadn't eventuated. After a quick google to find the basics for a quiche filling, a check of the freezer to confirm there was some shortcrust pastry laying in waiting and confirmation of sufficient supply of eggs I had whipped up: Roasted Sweet Potato, Pumpkin & Feta Quiche for a scrumptious Sunday dinner. It came out of the oven looking pretty special... and the first bite was bliss... one of those smug cooking moments where you just can't believe how delicious this 'invention' of yours is! Backed up by approval from the belly of B2, it was a hit!


Since that maiden quiche adventure we have now enjoyed many quiche meals over the past few weeks... deciding it will remain a regular fixture for enjoying with a salad on these hot summer nights. The leftovers are also fabulous for lunches either cold or reheated, so this one's a winner in our book.


What's in it...

• 100g sweet potato, cubed
• 100g pumpkin, cubed
• 1 1/2 sheets shortcrust pastry
• 3 eggs
• 250mL (1 cup) milk
• 330mL cream
• 2/3 cup (50g) grated cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives or shallots
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 50g feta, cubed

Put it together...

1. Preheat oven 220C
2. Place cubed sweet potato & pumpkin on a tray & roast in the oven for approx 25 minutes.
3. Grease pie dish and line with shortcrust pastry & 'blind bake' for approx 15 minutes - while vegetables are roasting.
4. Spread the roasted vegetables & feta over the shortcrust base & sprinkle with grated cheese & chives/shallots.
5. Whisk the eggs, add the milk, cream nutmeg & salt & pepper to taste & whisk until mixed.
6. Pour the egg mixture over the filling in the shortcrust base.
7. Place in the oven & bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
8. Remove from oven & allow to cool slightly
   On first removing from oven the filling will be high in the base, the egg mixture will 'settle' back down into the base after a few minutes.
9. Serve with a fresh salad... YUM :)

Visuals....

Steps 1 - 3

Steps 4 - 8

Tips:

• I try to roast extra vegetables to freeze/store for our next quiche or for tossing over a salad later, saves a bit of time for the next meal
  AND saves energy as you don't need to turn the oven on for as long next time ;)
• Use alternative fillings (eg. whatever you have lurking in the fridge) with the same egg mixture ratio to make any variation of quiche!
• I keep a supply of long life cream & milk tetra packs (available in the 'grocery milk' aisle of the supermarket) in our pantry to use for quiche when I don't happen to have the fresh dairy in the fridge.