Quiche with red beetroot & thyme
Beetroot is underappreciated. The slightly sweet and earthy taste makes this root vegetable extremely versatile: from refreshing salads to rich oven-baked recipes and even dessert. It adds colour to many dishes. And yes, ok, it might also add a little colour to your hands. And your cutting boards. And everything else that you touch in the kitchen. But still these iron bombs are worth it, believe me. Additionally, red beetroots are very sustainable and completely locally grown. Ideal for a savoury quiche!
Beets combine really nicely with the herbal taste of thyme. And the quiche filling is made from legumes: tofu, unsweetened soy milk and chickpea flour. This combo contains a lot of protein and gives a good binding after baking. No chickpea flour at home? Then you could also replace it in this recipe with another flour or starch, although it is recommended to get some for your cupboard. In the past you could only find it at the Indian supermarket or the health food store, but by now you can find chickpea flour at most large supermarkets.
We also use two specific seasonings in the filling. Miso is a Japanese paste made from fermented soybeans, rice or barley, and salt. It gives a delicious umami flavour to your dishes. The blond varieties (for example shiro miso) have the softest taste and are ideal for adding depth to creamy dishes. You will also find this at most supermarkets. The second seasoning is kala namak. "Kalawhat?" Kala namak! This is a kind of salt from the Indian kitchen with the typical taste of eggs. Is that indispensable? Not that, but it is very tasty! You can usually find kala namak at the Indian supermarket. Or you can also just order it online.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the red beetroot into cubes and chop the onion. Place them in a large oven dish with the pressed garlic and half of the thyme. Drizzle with olive oil and generously season with black pepper and salt. Bake in the oven at 200°C/390°F for 30 minutes. Halfway through, stir the vegetables and put the puff pastry dough in the oven.
For a crispy base you have to 'blind bake' the dough. That is to say: pre-baking without the filling. This prevents the dough from getting too wet. To do this, put the puff pastry in a baking mold. Cover the top of the dough with baking paper and place ceramic baking pearls on top. The weight of the pearls ensures that the puff pastry does not get a chance to blow up. Don't have baking pearls at home? Then you could use dry rice or beans instead. You will no longer be able to eat them afterwards, but you can still use them the next time you need baking pearls.
Put the dough in the oven along with the vegetables for the last 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Add all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. This also works with a hand blender. Season with salt and pepper and to taste.
After blind baking you remove the baking paper from the dough along with the baking pearls. Add the rest of the thyme to the oven vegetables. Stir through one last time and spread out the vegetables over the dough.
Finally pour out the filling on top and bake at 200°C/390°F for 40 minutes.
Test with a skewer whether the quiche is well-baked. Does the filling stick to it? Then put it back into the oven for a few more minutes. Does the skewer come out (almost) dry? Then the quiche is ready.
Let it cool down for a few more minutes to firm up. You can eat this quiche lukewarm or cold. Serve with a little more fresh thyme, freshly ground black pepper and salt.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the red beetroot into cubes and chop the onion. Place them in a large oven dish with the pressed garlic and half of the thyme. Drizzle with olive oil and generously season with black pepper and salt. Bake in the oven at 200°C/390°F for 30 minutes. Halfway through, stir the vegetables and put the puff pastry dough in the oven.
For a crispy base you have to 'blind bake' the dough. That is to say: pre-baking without the filling. This prevents the dough from getting too wet. To do this, put the puff pastry in a baking mold. Cover the top of the dough with baking paper and place ceramic baking pearls on top. The weight of the pearls ensures that the puff pastry does not get a chance to blow up. Don't have baking pearls at home? Then you could use dry rice or beans instead. You will no longer be able to eat them afterwards, but you can still use them the next time you need baking pearls.
Put the dough in the oven along with the vegetables for the last 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Add all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. This also works with a hand blender. Season with salt and pepper and to taste.
After blind baking you remove the baking paper from the dough along with the baking pearls. Add the rest of the thyme to the oven vegetables. Stir through one last time and spread out the vegetables over the dough.
Finally pour out the filling on top and bake at 200°C/390°F for 40 minutes.
Test with a skewer whether the quiche is well-baked. Does the filling stick to it? Then put it back into the oven for a few more minutes. Does the skewer come out (almost) dry? Then the quiche is ready.
Let it cool down for a few more minutes to firm up. You can eat this quiche lukewarm or cold. Serve with a little more fresh thyme, freshly ground black pepper and salt.