I consider myself a pretty healthy eater/cook. Lots of fresh vegetables, mostly organic, as local as possible, not lots of sweets… and of course my fair share of healthy olive oil, red wine and calcium products. This pie has the olive oil and calcium and I just drink the red wine to round it out!
Cauliflower Cheese Pie
We often have this pie as the main course. For the main course I do make the potato crust, having a salad to go along with it. When it is an accompaniment to a meal I often leave the crust off, making it a vegetable side dish.
2 cups packed shredded raw potatoes, preferably russet
¼ cup grated onion
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1. Adjust a rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400ºF. Spray a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick spray.
2. Combine the shredded potatoes, onion, salt, and egg. Pat the potato mixture into an even layer over the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, then give the crust a spritz with nonstick spray. Continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes, until browned. Lower the oven temperature to 375ºF.
While the potato crust is baking you can prepare the cauliflower. I like tiny florets, with very little stem… the delicate approach!
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, diced small
1 garlic clove, minced
1 dash thyme
1 medium cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 cup packed grated strong cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
¼ cup milk
black pepper
3. Melt the butter, add the olive oil, in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook just until they start to brown at the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly. Add the thyme, cauliflower, and salt; cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is just tender, about 8 minutes. I sometimes add a splash of chicken broth, water or white wine here...
4. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, a pinch of salt and another of black pepper, and the milk.
5. Spread half of the cheese on the baked crust. Top with the cauliflower mixture and the rest of the cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the pie. Sometimes I add sliced tomatoes to the top.
6. Bake the pie until the custard is set and the top is slightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Let it cool for about 5 minutes before serving.