This is something a lot of people have been asking for, and I want to make your culinary dreams come true, so here we are!! I decided to go for a cheese, tomato, onion and broccoli Quiche, but you can make it however you like.. it's your dinner, man.
A Quiche?! without eggs?! Shut up, Lily. You idiot. A Quiche IS EGG!
But this can be enjoyed by meat eaters, veggies and vegans alike. You could also use gluten free flour to make it suitable for everyone.. so it's BETTER. got it? Good. Now... shall we begin?
Get these things ready:
200g plain flour, 100g vegan butter, splash of water, block of firm tofu, 3tbsp nutritional yeast, 1tbp garlic powder, salt and pepper, 100ml plant milk, hummus (store bought or homemade), 2 tsp egg replacement powder (I used Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer) loads of vegan cheese, onion, broccoli, sliced tomatoes, 2tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, baking paper, dried beans/rice/baking beans, tin in which to make your Quiche.
1. The pastry. The basic rule for a short crust pastry is half as much fat to flour. Easy peasy! don't be scared! In a bowl, add your plain flour, a pinch of salt and butter of choice (I used Vitalite) Gently rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Then add a splash of water, a little bit at a time, until a dough forms. You don't want to knead it! This will get all the gluten excited and stretchy and tough, and we want the gluten to be relaxed and crumbly to make it short and delicious. Be kind to your pastry. Wrap in cling film and leave to chill for at least an hour.
2. The filling. Fry your onions with salt, pepper and dried thyme until soft and slightly brown. Then add in your broccoli and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, slice your tomatoes and grate the cheese.
3. In a blender (the more powerful, the better) add a block of diced firm tofu, the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, plant milk, 2 tbsp hummus, egg replacement powder (this is to add a little rise and gives a more eggy texture), and turmeric. Blend until smooooth.. it'll be REALLY thick, so you'll have to give it a stir every now and then to get it all incorporated.
4. In a large bowl, add the tofu mixture, grated vegan cheese, onions and broccoli. Stir together evenly.. and that's your filling!
5. Back to the pastry. On a floured surface (or on a sheet of cling film, if you're like me and HATE cleaning up flour) roll out the pastry about 3-4mm thick. Line your desired baking.. thing.. with baking paper, and add the pastry. Make sure there is a slight overhang (pastry shrinks slightly when it cooks) Take a blob of offcut dough, dip into flour and use to gently push the pastry into the edges and corners of the tin (this will prevent accidental tears or pesky finger nail marks)
6. Neaten up your edges and crimp however you like, or not.. I don't really care. Using a fork, gently prick the base of the pastry (this helps the pastry bake evenly and prevents it rise) Then, place another sheet of baking paper on top and fill with dried beans/rice/baking beans. these also help cook the pastry evenly and stops the bottom rising (cheeky) blind bake in the oven for around 15-20 minutes in a preheated 180 degree oven. Keep an eye on the edges to make sure they don't brown too much. Remove the baking beans and let your pastry case cool, and drop the oven down to 150 degrees.
7. Add your filling to the pastry case and flatten evenly. Then add sliced tomatoes (push them down into the filling a bit) and extra cheese on top. Bake at 150 degrees for around 25-30 minutes until the top has slightly puffed up and is looking golden. If you press down on the tofu filling, it should spring back up a bit, not sink down. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
8. Y'know what.... THAT'S IT!! WHAAAAT?! yeah. Serve however you like, I went for chips and beans, because I'm a child. E N J O Y .
If anyone tries this recipe, I would absolutely love if you could share your photos and let me know what you think!
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