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How to Make the Most Delicious Cauliflower Cheese Pie Recipe
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By Meg Jones - wife, mother, professional, contributor |
Last weekend, my daughter and I took a day trip to NYC to see the matinee of Hamilton (amazing show and amazing that we were able to get tickets!). By the time we emerged from the theater, a winter storm was already in progress, so we didn’t want to hang out in New York for dinner.
We headed home to a “light” supper of cheese fondue that RG prepared for us. Cauliflower (blanched) is a staple in our cheese fondue and we prepared more than we could eat. So, the next day I had to figure out what to do with the leftovers.
With day-old veggies, I usually think of soup, but the cauliflower triggered a memory from my college cooking days – cauliflower cheese pie from the Moosewood Cookbook. Back then, Moosewood was the go-to vegetarian cookbook, especially for people on a limited budget like me and my roommates.
The pie I made is really simple, and the ingredients are easy to find if not already on hand. Think quiche but with a potato crust.
When I prepared this over the weekend, I conferred with my Moosewood (much the worse for wear) but improvised along the way based on what we had on hand.
Here’s what I did:
Cauliflower Cheese Pie Recipe
Ingredients
For the crust
- About 2 cups peeled shredded potatoes (I had 9 loose red potatoes in my drawer so I used those)
- ¼ onion peeled and grated
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Filling
- 1 head cauliflower or could substitute broccoli or other veg, blanched and chopped into small florets
- 1 onion
- spices
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese about 1 cup shredded or other mild cheese
- 2 eggs
- splash milk maybe ¼ cup or so
Instructions
For the Crust
- I put the shredded potatoes in a colander, salted them, and let them sit for about 15 minutes.
- Then I squeezed as much water out of them as possible before mixing them with the onion, egg, and salt and pepper.
- I pressed the mixture into a greased pie plate so it resembled crust.
- I baked this in a 400° F oven for about 40 minutes; halfway through I sprayed cooking oil on the crust to help it brown.
For the Filling
- While the crust cooked, I took the leftover cauliflower, chopped it into smaller pieces, and sautéed it with a chopped onion.
- I added some herbs de Provence that I had on hand but you could add anything you like – basil, thyme, parsley for example. Once this was soft, I set it aside.
- I grated the block of cheese.
- When the crust was done, I sprinkled half the cheese on the bottom of the crust, added the cauliflower mixture, and topped with the rest of the cheese.
- Then I whisked the 2 eggs and milk together and poured over the filling.
- The pie went back into the oven at a lower temperature of 375 for about 30 minutes, until the center was set.
- I let the pie cool for about ten minutes before slicing and serving for a midday snack.
This concoction was a home run in many ways – it brought back happy memories of my college years, it was super easy and used up some leftovers, it was a hit with my family, and it fit in nicely to new habits I am trying to build, namely: reduce sugar intake, make veggies at least 50% of every meal, and limit bread consumption.
My daughter liked it so much she specifically requested I set a piece aside for her to pack for her school lunch the next day. All in all, vegetable success story!
As soon as I saw you consulted Moosewood you had me hooked. I look forward to signing up for your recipes. Tonight I’ll make the pork ossoboco. Cheers, LL
Just found your blog and came across your mention of Moosewood. Brought back many memories. I just gave my Moosewood Cookbooks to one of my daughter’s. Hmmmm maybe I should tell her it was just a loan. Lol