Pumpkin Quiche
This pumpkin quiche with phyllo crust is both a conversation piece and a crowd pleaser. It's relatively easy to throw together because we're using three cheats: a can of pumpkin, a carton of liquid egg, and the delicious crust is just sheets of store-bought phyllo pastry. The baking time is an hour, but you can put your feet up while that's happening. Serve as part of a meal with salads or cooked veg, and perhaps a spoonful of cranberry sauce on the side. This recipe makes a quiche that is 1.2 kg (2.6 pounds.) A slice that is1/8th the pie weighs 150 g (5 oz.)
Cooking Temperature 175 C / 350 F / Gas Mark 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound Mushrooms chopped
- 1 Onion medium, chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/2 cup Stock
- 1 teaspoon Marjoram dried
- 1 teaspoon Oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon Rosemary ground, dried
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 4 cups Spinach fresh (120 g / 4 oz)
- 2 cups Pumpkin
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
- 1 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute fat-free
- 4 sheets Phyllo Pastry
Instructions
- Look for an ovensafe pie dish that is 25 cm (10 inches) wide at the top, 4 cm (1.5 inches) deep (or capacity of 1.5L / 6 cups.)
- Wash the mushrooms, chop them coarsely, put into a frying pan along with the peeled, chopped onion, minced garlic, 1/2 cup (125 ml / 4 oz) of stock and all the herbs, salt and pepper. Bring to a quick boil, then lower to a slow simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until onion is cooked. When the onion is cooked, add the 4 cups (120 g / 4 oz) of roughly-chopped spinach, and let them cook for about 2 minutes -- just enough time to wilt the spinach.
- Remove from heat, stir in the pumpkin, the cheeses and the egg mixture. Set aside.
- Start oven heating to 175 C / 350 F / Gas Mark 4.
- Spray the pie dish lightly with cooking spray. Put the first sheet of phyllo pastry in, folding the edges in. Spray it lightly, then repeat till all 4 of the sheets of phyllo are in. Pour in the filling, and smooth it out evenly.
- Bake for one hour; longer if needed for a knife to come out clean.
- Serve piping hot.
Notes
For the liquid egg, use the plain, unflavoured (i.e. original) version product such as Egg Beaters or Egg Creations.
Just use canned pumpkin. For the 2 cups of pumpkin, a 15 oz / 445 ml can is close enough.
To make the crust thicker in the middle, trim off some of the edge of the phyllo instead of folding it all down on the edge, and lay the cut off pieces in the centre.
If you don't have any stock, just use water, maybe flavoured with a tablespoon of wine, beer, vermouth or Maggi.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!