Beetroot & Squash Quiche

• A Sweet Vegetable and Cheese Quiche
• Uses a melt-in-the-mouth gluten-free pastry base.
• Filling and nutritious vegetarian meal.
• A colourful addition to a buffet, picnic or tea table.

Organic Brown Rice Flour 500g (Infinity Foods)

75g Rice Flour.

Organic Corn Flour [Maize meal] 500g (Infinity Foods)

75g Corn Flour/Cornmeal (not Corn starch).

Potato Flour/Starch 500g, Organic (Infinity Foods)

75g Potato Flour.

Xanthan Gum 110g (Doves Farm)

1 heaped tsp Xanthan Gum.

Italian Mixed Herbs 50g (Hampshire Foods)

1 tsp of Italian Mixed Herbs.

Thyme 50g (Hampshire Foods)

2 large pinches of dried Thyme.

Hampshire Foods Rosemary 50g

2 large pinches of dried Rosemary.

Profusion Himalayan Rose Pink Salt - fine 500g

Pinch of salt.

Black Pepper Powder 100g (Hampshire Foods)

Pinch of Black Pepper Powder.

Clearspring Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500g

2-4 Tbsp Olive Oil.

Other Ingredients

• 150g unsalted Butter
• 1 egg mixed with 2 Tbsp water
• 2 medium sized Beetroots, fresh
• half a small Butternut squash/or quarter of a large one.
• 4 large cloves of garlic
• 2 medium red onions
• 100g Feta Cheese
• 2 medium eggs
• 100ml Semi-Skimmed or Full Fat Milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°c Fan/ 210°c/ Gas Mark 6. Oil a deep baking sheet or use an ovenproof dish.
2. Peel the squash and dice roughly into 1inch/ 2cm cubes. Top and tail the fresh Beetroot, peel and dice roughly into 1inch/ 2cm cubes. Spread these veggies out into the oiled baking tray.
3. Add the cloves of garlic, still with their skins on to the tray. Then chop the onions into segments and add these to the tray. Drizzle with more Olive Oil.
4. Sprinkle the veggies with the Thyme and Rosemary. Using your fingertips toss all the vegetables so that they are coated in herbs and oil. Place in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until tender and browned in places. Remove the veggies from the over and turn the heat down to 170°c Fan/ 180°c/Gas Mark 4 or 5.
5. Make the pastry next. You will need either one large 8inch/20cm loose based, non-stick flan tin or alternatively use individual loose base tins like we did. Ours measured 5inch/12cm and we were able to make 2 mini quiches easily.
6. Sift all the flour, Xanthan Gum and Salt into a large bowl or food processor. Add the butter, cut into pieces and rub through the flour/pulse the food processor until you have loose breadcrumbs.
7. Add just a little of the eggy-water to the pastry at a time – you won’t need it all. Bring the pastry together to form a ball.
8. Dust a board with rice flour and roll out the pastry into a rough circle, approximately ¾ cm thick to a diameter that will cover the base and sides of the flan tin. Transfer the pastry into the tin. Any bits which break off whilst doing this can be squashed into the tin.
9. Trim the edge with a plastic knife or wooden spoon. Then prick the base of the flan with a plastic fork or cocktail stick. You will probably have a little pastry left over. You could make a lattice covering with the leftovers or some pretty pastry leaves!
10. Spread the cubes of Butternut Squash, Beetroot and slices of onion into the pastry base. Crumble most of the Feta Cheese over the vegetables. Keep a little back.
11. In a small mixing bowl or large mug add the milk and the eggs and beat with a fork. Season this with pepper and Italian Herbs. Add all the roasted garlic paste from inside the skins of the garlic cloves. Mix again.
12. Pour this mixture over the surface of the quiche. Now finish with the remainder of the Feta Cheese and place in the oven for 45-55 minutes or until the surface is golden brown.
13. Serve with boiled potatoes and a salad of your choice.