Awesome Autumn Pie

This is another tasty vegetarian pie. It is full of veg and color, but just as rich in flavors!AutumnPie2

Awesome Autumn Pie (4 servings)

  • 1 butternut squach, peeled, in 5 mm slices
  • 1 pie dish lined with puff pastry
  • Pie filling:
    • 300 gr spinach
    • 50 gr crumbled feta
    • 50 gr grated parmesan
    • 1 egg
    • pinch nutmeg
  • Sprinkle squash with
  • 1 tsp hot paprika
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 50 gr feta
  • 1 cup of roughly chopped hazelnuts
  • 1 tbsp honey
  1. Blind bake your pie in a 220 degrees C oven for 15 minutes.
  2. Boil your butternut squash slices until just soft enough to eat.
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  3. Mix the pie filling.
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  4. Fill the base with the filling, cover with the butternut squash slices.
  5. Sprinkle with hot paprika and cinnamon.
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  6. Top with feta and hazelnuts.
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  7. Drizzle over the honey, season with some freshly ground pepper.
  8. Bake in the 220 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Find more pie and quiche recipes.

 

Pea Puff Pies

This is a recipe that I invented in order to finish our leftovers. Feel free to use any form of leftover vegetables and meat for this recipe. I have also made similar pies using cauliflower, broccoli, spring union or asparagus.

You can also make a delicious vegetarian version by replacing the meat with some tasty nuts or maybe a stronger cheese.

I serve these pies in individual ramekins, this way I can accommodate everyone’s busy schedule. But you could easily make one large pie, just increase your cooking time slightly so the pie is cooked and warm in the middle.

These pies are a simplified version of a soufflé. The egg makes them puff up beautifully and creates a light texture. The measurements below are an indication. Feel free to adjust them to your taste. Add more egg for more rise and a more “eggy” flavor.

This recipe only needs stirring and measurements are not crucial so you could easily make these together with your toddler. For more toddler cooking tips, read this post.

For a simple dinner, serve your Pea Puff Pies with some HP sauce and a tasty salad. You could make these pies as a starter, especially if you use a more fancy vegetable like asperagus.

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Pea Puff Pies (for 4 small pies)

  • 150 gram of mashed potato
  • 2 free range eggs
  • 100 grams of grated cheese (keep some aside for on the top)
  • 100 grams of shredded chicken
  • 150 gram of peas (or any other veg you like)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Simply warm mix your ingredients and spoon the batter into the greased ramekins. Sprinkle some cheese on top.

After preparing your pies you can keep them for a few days in the fridge until you are ready to eat them.

Bake your pies in a 220 degrees C oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until puffed up and golden.

Enjoy!

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My favorite high tea recipes

For my birthday this year I organised a high tea. I received many compliments for the entire spread. It did take me a whole day to prepare for it, but it was delicious! This is a list of the food I made, and some tips.

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  1. Omelet rolls: Mix up eggs, finely sliced chives and some cream to make the egg mix. Fry thin omelets. Let the omelets cool and spread out cream cheese, cover with ham. Roll the omelet up. Wrap your omelet roll in cling film. You can make the rolls 1 to 2 days in advance. For serving, slice and serve these lovely pinwheels.
  2. Fruit punch: Peel and slice your favorite fruits. Make sure you have various colors. Add some fruit juice. Cool your punch and serve it in dainty glasses.
  3. Mini chocolate mousse: Make your favorite mousse recipe and serve in shot glasses or little jam jars. I garnished them with dried cranberries.
  4. Small cups of vichyssoise soup: This simple cold soup is made with potato, onion and leek. I served it in small glasses with a teaspoon of greek yoghurt and some chives.
  5. Scones: My most important tips: don’t knead your dough, rub to combine the flower, sugar and butter, then stir to combine using milk or buttermilk. Wrap your dough in cling film and let it cool for up to 24 hours (in your fridge). This way you can work ahead. Take your dough from the fridge and cut your scone shape quickly then bake right away. Cooling and resting your dough gives you the lightest scones you ever had!
    For those who don’t live in the UK: use mascarpone instead of clotted cream.
  6. Savory pies: Using puff pastry line a muffin mold. Fill each cup with ham, peas, cheese. Fill the cups up with eggs and cream. Bake for 20 mins at 220 degrees C.
  7. Pizza squares: Make a large pizza a day before. Warm it up in a 160 degrees C oven for 20 minutes. Cut your pizza into squares and serve.
  8. Cut candy bars into bite size chunks for inexpensive little treats.
  9. Serve with tea, coffee and white wine

For a relaxed party:

  • Make sure you prepare well in advance and make lists.
  • Find recipes you can prepare 1 or 2 days in advance that take little assembling.
  • Ballance hot, cold, sweet and savory dishes.
  • Don’t try complicated recipes for the first time.
  • Make sure you have enough refridgerator space.
  • Make sure you have enough oven space.
  • Make sure you have enough china. Buy teacups and saucers at your local thrift shop or lend them from friends and family.
  • Use some disposable plates and cups, for less washing up.

Simple Seasonal treat: Spinach quiche

As you might know. I like making vegetable quiches and pies. This is a lovely way to eat your spinach!

For a vegetarian alternative I would replace the bacon with a handful of toasted nuts like pine nuts.

Spinaziquiche

Spinach quiche

  • Pastry:
    • 100 gr flower
    • 60 gr butter
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 50 ml water
  • Filling:
    • 300 gr of fresh spinach leaves
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 100 gr Bacon cubes
    • 125 gr soft goats cheese of feta cheese
    • 3 free range eggs
    • 75 ml cream
    • Pepper and ground nutmeg to tast
  1. Prepare your base as described in my asparagus pie recipe.
  2. While your base bakes:
    1. Clean your spinach leaves.
    2. Fry your leaves in the oil until all spinach has wilted.
    3. Place your spinach in a collinder and let the access water drain out.
    4. Fry your bacon cubes until they are crisp.
    5. Wisk and mix your eggs and mix in your cream.
  3. Build your pie:
    1. Divide your spinach and bacon over the base.
    2. Pour over the egg and cream mixture.
    3. Crumble the cheese over the top.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes in a 200 degrees C oven.

Simple Seasonal treat: green asparagus pie

I love eating vegetables at their absolute best. Asparagus are one of the most seasonal vegetables for me. During the asparagus season I am always looking for simple dishes that do this tasty ingredient justice.

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The cheese and eggs in this recipe enhance the asparagus flavor. Serve it with a salad , a glass of white wine and you have a complete and healthy spring meal.

Feel free to use ready-made short crust pastry or quiche dough, for an even easier meal.

Because I am a busy mom, I like making pies ahead. That way, I can play with my toddler when I get home from a busy day while the pie warms in the oven. To warm up your pie place it in a preheated oven of 160 degrees C for twenty minutes.

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Asparagus pie

This recipe is for a 25 cm quiche mold.

  • Short crust pastry:
    • 100 g flower
    • 60 g butter
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 50 ml water
  • 150 gr green asparagus
  • Filling:
    • 3 free range eggs
    • 75 ml cream
  • 1 cup of grated strong cheese like old Gouda or Parmigiana
  • Pepper and ground nutmeg to taste
  1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C.
  2. Make your short crust pastry:
    1. Rub the butter into the salt and flower until the texture resembles bread crumbs.
    2. Combine the crumbles into a dough by stirring the water in gradually. Combine the dough, don’t knead it. If you fuss around less with your dough, your dough will be more crumbly. For an even more crumbly result, wrap your dough in cling film and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  3. Make your pie base:
    1. Roll out your pastry to a 5 mm thickness.
    2. Line the a greased quiche mold with your delicious pastry.
    3. Line your mold with some baking parchment and fill your pie with dried beans or actual baking beans.
    4. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
  4. While your base is in the oven, prepare your asparagus:
    1. Remove the hard section of each asparagus. This is usually about 2 cm, depending on how fresh your asparagus is.
    2. Place your asparagus in a pan of cold water. Bring the water to the boil.
    3. When the water boils, immediately take your pan of the heat and cool your asparagus in cold water.
    4. Let your asparagus dry.
  5. Prepare your filling by mixing the cream and eggs.
  6. Take your base out of the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. (Leave your oven on!)
  7. Build your pie:
    1. Cover the base of your pie with cheese.
    2. Pour in half your filling.
    3. Sprinkle with pepper and nutmeg.
    4. Arrange your asparagus. You might need to trim your asparagus a bit for this step. Try to make one nice even and neat layer of asparagus.
    5. Add the rest of the filling.
    6. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese.
  8. Bake your pie in the oven for 20 minutes at 200 degrees C.

Enjoy!

Asparagus pie