Mostly Vegetable Vegan Quiche

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 1½ hours

M V

Tofu is the obvious vegan stand-in for many recipes, but here a tart made mostly of vegetables is held together with just a little chickpea batter, which itself is delicious.

• 1 recipe Savory Vegan Piecrust (page 710), fitted into a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan, chilled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the top
• 1 onion, sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 1½ pounds chopped cooked vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, mushrooms, corn, potatoes, or a combination)
• 1 cup chickpea flour (besan)
• 2½ cups vegetable stock (pages 97–100), or water
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1. Prebake the crust (see “Pre-Baking a Crust,” page 708). Start the filling while the crust is in the oven. When the crust starts to turn golden, set the oven temperature to 400°F. Cool the crust slightly on a rack.
2. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and some salt and pepper. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes; adjust the heat so it doesn’t brown too much or crisp up. Add the vegetables, stir, turn off the heat, and let cool slightly.
3. Whisk together the chickpea flour and 1 cup of the stock in a medium bowl. In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining 1½ cups stock to a boil with the turmeric. Slowly stir in the chickpea flour mixture. Once all the flour mixture has been incorporated, set the heat to low and continue to stir continuously until the mixture becomes thick and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vegetables.
4. Put the pie pan on a baking sheet. Spoon the filling (it will be very thick) into the crust. Bake until almost set, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush with oil, and return to the oven until the top is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack; serve warm or at room temperature.

Ricotta and Parmesan Quiche Rich and sharp: Substitute 1 cup each ricotta and grated Parmesan for the Emmental and decrease the cream to 1 cup.

Quiche Lorraine The deep flavor of caramelized onion and smokiness of tofu take the place of the traditional bacon: Caramelize 3 cups sliced onion (see page 222) and add ½ cup or so chopped smoked tofu in the last few minutes. Combine the onion mixture with the eggs and proceed with the recipe.