Roasted pumpkin quiche with easy almond pastry

SERVES 6 PREP + COOK TIME 1½ HOURS

600g butternut pumpkin, chopped coarsely

¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves

¼ cup (60ml) verjuice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, extra 3 golden shallots, quartered lengthways 3 free range eggs

3/4 cup (180ml) thickened cream ALMOND PASTRY

¾ cup (120g) brown rice flour

1 cup (120g) ground almonds

½ teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons cornflour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 free range egg

1 free range egg yolk

BITTER GREEN SALAD

2 white witlof

½ radicchio, torn leaves

½ baby cos lettuce

40g rocket

½ cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon vino cotto

1 Grease a 13cm x 35cm fluted rectangular tart tin (check size) with removable base, set aside.

2 Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Place the pumpkin onto a baking tray, making sure not to overcrowd the tray. Pour over the olive oil, sprinkle over the rosemary. Season with sea salt and toss through well so that all the pumpkin is coated. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes until tender and browned. Remove from the oven and drizzle with the verjuice. Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes or until most of the verjuice has been reduced to a glaze. Remove and set aside to cool.

3 Reduce the temperature to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).

4 ALMOND PASTRY Meanwhile, place the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil and eggs. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the dough just comes together. Turn out onto a work bench and pinch off a walnut size ball. Keep this aside in case you need to patch any fine cracks after baking. Shape the dough into a rectangle about 10cm x 20cm. Place the pastry inside the greased tart tin and press evenly across the base and up the sides. Freeze pastry for 10 minutes.

5 Place the tart onto a baking tray and bake on lower shelf for 10 minutes or until golden. Don’t be tempted to cook the pastry too long or it will start to crack.

6 Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 160°C (140°C fan-forced).

7 To make the filling, add the extra olive oil and the shallots in a small non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, cook for approximately 4 minutes or until softened and golden brown.

8 Whisk the eggs and cream in a large mixing bowl, season to taste. Stir through the cooked shallots and roasted pumpkin.

9 Carefully transfer this mixture into the tart shell and bake on lower shelf for 35 minutes or until the custard is just set and golden brown on top.

10 BITTER GREEN SALAD Meanwhile, pull apart the salad leaves, wash and drain well, place all together into a large salad bowl, set aside. To make the dressing, whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar and vino cotto into a bowl until combined, season.

Drizzle over some of the dressing just before serving.

11 Serve quiche warm with bitter green salad.

Tart suitable to freeze.