Cauliflower Cheese Pie
(from Katieann063’s recipe box)
Source: Mollie Katzen's -The New Moosewood Cookbook
Prep time: 50 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Serves 4 people
Categories: Cauliflower, Pie, Vegetable
Ingredients
- for the crust
- 2 c. grated raw potato (from 2-3 peeled potatoes)
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1 egg white, beaten
- 1/4 c. grated onion
- for the filling
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1 c. diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 t. salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 t. dried thyme
- 1/2 t. dried basil
- 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
- 1 c. (4-5 oz.) grated cheddar cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 c. milk
Directions
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1) Preheat the oven to 400°F and generously oil a 9″ pie dish. Seriously, be generous. This is the difference between ending up with the crispy potato crust attached to your pie and the crispy potato crust attached to your pie dish.
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2) Keeping each separate, grate the cheese, then the potatoes, then the onion using a food processor or box grater.
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3) To make the crust, place the grated potatoes in a colander and toss them with the salt. Wait ten minutes, then squeeze out the excess water. A salad spinner works well for this, or you can wring the potatoes out in a dishtowel. Stir together the potatoes, egg white and onion in a large bowl, then pat the mixture evenly into your pie dish , building them up the sides to form the crust.
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4) Bake for 30 minutes, then brush the crust lightly with olive oil and bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and lower the temp to 375°F.
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5) While the crust bakes, heat 1 T. olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt, pepper (to taste) and herbs and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the cauliflower and stir well to coat. Cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender, 8-10 minutes. Add a tablespoon of water if the cauliflower begins to stick to the pan.
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6) Spread half the cheese over the crust and spoon the cauliflower mixture over, then sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Whisk together the eggs and the milk, then pour this mixture over the cauliflower cheese mixture.
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7) Bake 35-40 minutes, until set.