Keema Bruschetta - A DIY Party Snack

So you have a party coming up and you want to rustle up some easy snack/ starter. Worry not, this DIY (do-it-yourself silly!) Keema Bruschetta is the perfect party item. The keema can be made a day in advance( or few days in advance and frozen ), all that needs to be done after that is assembling. I had some leftover keema and this is the outcome! You can use your usual keema recipe or use this one here.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Quinoa

For over 2 weeks now I am doing this Project #saladeveryday on my Fb page. I feel salads are a way of life and the easiest and fun way to include fresh veggies and fruits in your diet. With a fussy 7 yr old and an equally fussy husband when it comes to eating greens, I have been pretty much successful in this effort of mine.

This week its the the Salad Week at KFB and I made an easy  - Roasted Vegetable Salad with Quinoa. Now I am very new to quinoa, this is probably the first time I am using this grain as I have heard such nice things about it, it being sort of a wonder grain - gluten free and all that. My friend Sarani of Cocoawind uses it in many innovative ways! I found the texture nice and it went well with the vegetables alomost making it a complete meal.

 

Ingredients:


Carrots - 1 medium - cubed

Cucumber - 1 medium - cubed with skin on

Mushroom - a cup - halved

Tomato - 1 large - cubed

Beans - a few - stringed and cut

Onion - 1 large - cubed

Oilve oil - 2 tbsp.

Honey - 1 tbsp.

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Balsamic vinegar - 1 tsp

Quinoa - cooked  - 1 cup - Follow instruction on packet. The quinoa to water ratio is 1:2.

Method :


In a baking tray toss together the cut vegetables with olive oil , honey, salt pepper and balsamic.

Heat oven to 180 degree C and grill the vegetables for 15 to 20 mins.

Serve warm along with the cooked quinoa.

                                          I am sending this recipe to the ongoing KFB event

 

The Kabab and Biryani Festival at Swissotel , Kolkata

Durbari - the Indian fine dining restaurant at the Swissotel is hosting a Kabab and Biryani Festival starting today. I was lucky enough to get invited for a preview of the same and I totally loved it. The menu is very innovative with very different and not run of the mill kababs and grilled items. They have introduced the concept of a set menu where diners get to taste a wide array of dishes at a fixed cost. The servings are unlimited and has three courses - almost 7 to 8 types of kababs , biryani and a dessert along with a glass of wine.

I had a chat with Asish - the F&B manager and also Chef Shubrodip Ghosh who has designed the menu. Each and every item included in the menu is new and will surely impress you. Set menus let the diners enjoy the courses well without getting overwhelmed when too many items are served at one go. There is a choice of Veg and Non veg - you choose what you want!The vegetarian selection has kababs like Aam aur chana ka kabab, Noril Makai ki seekh and Dahi potli to name a few while the non veg lovers can gorge on Lahsooni Tawa Jheenga , Saloni Machi Tikka , Murgh Chandi Kali , Shirka Pyaz Boti and so on!

The famous dips at Durbari

The yummy kababs

Noa sahi tangri - Tandoor roasted drumstick filled with spicy minced chicken

Dum Murgh Biriyani

The Gosht Dum Biryani was very flavourful doused with generous amount of desi ghee and succulent pieces of mutton served with a side of raita.
 

Gulam Jamun with Paan icecream

Finished the meal with Gulab Jamun and some homemade paan icecream which was a perfect end to the scrumptious meal. Dining at the Swissotel is always a pleasure and their top notch hospitality just make it even more special. I am off on a holiday tomorrow and there couldn't have been a better way to start my vacation.

If you are around this side of town or now with the summer hoilidays on, want to indulge in some good food, try out the Kabab and Biryani Festival here.

The set menus are priced @ 1700 INR for Vegetarian and @ 2000 INR for the Non - Vegetarian option. Servings are unlimited. It is on at Durbari for both lunch and dinner from today onwards.

 

Baked Meatballs in Cheese Sauce - Served on a bed of Linguine

It had been long that I invited my extended family over for a meal together and Easter break provided that perfect opportunity. The thing with me is, I get into elaborate menu planning when I am having people over that it exhausts me! This time around, however, I decided to keep it simple. The menu was mainly Indian with just this easy Baked Meatballs in Cheese Sauce thrown in for variety. Very easy again, made with very few ingredients but full marks for taste. I served it on a bed of boiled linguine and it turned out just perfect. My family licked their plates clean and theres nothing more that makes me happy when I can feed my loved ones well. You go note the recipe!

 

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

Chicken mince - 500 gms

Dried oregano - 1 tsp

Dried thyme - 1

Chilli flakes - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Olive oil - 1 tbsp.

For the sauce :

Onion - 1 medium - finely chopped

Garlic - 2-3 fat cloves - minced

Readymade pasta sauce - 4 tbsp. - I used the red tomato based sauce

Heavy Cream - 1 cup

Butter - 1 tbsp.

Grated parmesan - 1/2 cup

Boiled linguine or spaghetti or even penne would do fine - to serve the meatballs.

Method:


Mix all the ingredients listed under meatballs and roll the mince into small balls.

Line a baking tray with foil or butter paper, assemble the meatballs and bake in a preheated oven for 10-15 mins at 180 degree C.

Once the meatballs are done, remove from the oven and keep aside.

In a pan , heat the butter. Lightly sauté the garlic and onion mince. Add the readymade pasta sauce and fry for 2-3 mins. season with salt and pepper. Or use any herb of your choice.

Lastly mix in the heavy cream and simmer the sauce gently.

In a baking dish arrange the baked meatballs, pour the sauce over it, sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese on top and bake for 10-15 mins  or till the cheese has melted and browned lightly.

Serve on a bed on linguine or spaghetti or any other pasta of your choice. Garnish with oregano ,chilli flakes and some fresh basil leaves.

Well it cant get easier than this.

Ras Malai - Poila Boisakh Special

I will be honest here. I was planning to make something else for the KFB Poila Boisakh Special event but ended up making this dish by chance. It was just another way in my kitchen to use left overs! I didn't know what to do with a litre of extra milk lying in my fridge, so decided to just thicken it up a little with some sugar and keep it for further use. Then I didn't know what to do with some left over paneer too..the end result? This wonderful home made Ras Malai. I have kept the flavours simple here with just a touch of cardamom.
All those who know me , know that I am a die hard Indian sweet/mishti lover. No matter how much I keep a check on my diet, eat healthy, follow strict regimen, put a ladoo or a sondesh or a gulab jamun in front of me and I am gone! I just cannot resist sweets. So you see this experiment made me very happy. And with Poila Boisakh  (Bengali New Year ) and Bihu around the corner this was well timed I would say. I will be surely making this again soon and treating my friends and family.

Ingredients:

Milk - 1 litre

Paneer - 200 gms -

I used home made paneer/ chenna here. To make 200 gms chenna, bring around a litre of milk to a boil. Add 2 tbsp of lime juice , mix well and let the milk curdle. Drain the chenna/paneer , wash with cold water, drain the water completely and it is ready for use.

Sugar - 4 tbsp + 1 cup

Bay leaves -  2 nos

cardamom/ elaichi powder - 1 tsp

Water - 1 1/2 cup

Method:

First lets make the mini rasgullas/ paneer balls .

In a pan add the water and the sugar and bring it to a boil.

Meanwhile, take the paneer/ chenna and knead it with your hand till its very smooth. This will take about 7-10 mins. Make small balls of it and keep adding to the boiling sugar syrup.

Let the paneer balls simmer in the sugar syrup for around 15 mins , till they become firm.
Remove the rasgullas/paneer balls from the sugar syrup and keep aside to cool.

Next we will thicken the milk and prepare the base of the ras malai. All that you need to so is in a heavy bottom pan , put a litre of milk to simmer  and thicken up. Keep the flame low. Add the bay leaves and cardamom powder , so that the flavours are well infused into the milk. This will take a while, almost 20 -25 mins. Keep stirring once a while so that the milk doesn't burn.

After around 20 mins you will find the milk had just about thicken forming some solids(Malai). At this point add the 4 tbsp sugar, give it a good mix. Add the mini rasgullas/ paneer balls and simmer for 2-3 mins.

Remove from heat and let it cool. Serve chilled.

Notes:

• Its important to knead the paneer/chenna well before making the balls or else they might break off once you put it into the sugar syrup.
• Garnish with crushed pista, casheews or some soaked saffron. I skipped it as my family likes it without any garnish.

I am sending this recipe to the KFB Poila Boisakh Special event.

 

Chicken in Creamy Mustard Sauce

 

I am back with yet another super easy recipe to make weeknight cooking a breeze! This recipe of Chicken in creamy Mustard Sauce is a steal. It is from one of my favourite cookbook by Mary Berry. I often try out her baked goodies but not the mains so much. However I will from now on! This dish needs just 3-4 ingredients and you are done.

 

Ingredients:

Boneless chicken - 200 gms - cut into thin strips

Olive oil - 1 tsp

Garlic - 2-3 pods - crushed

Heavy cream - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Flour - 1 tsp

Mustard paste / sauce - 1 tbsp. - I used the readymade bottled grainy mustard. It gave a nice texture to the gravy.

Method:

Take 2 tbsp cream from the 1 cup heavy cream ,mix in the flour and keep aside.

In a pan heat the oil. Lightly sauté the crushed garlic. Add the chicken strips and fry till they turn light brown in colour and is 90% cooked.

Drain the chicken pieces and keep aside.

In the same pan , add the heavy cream. keep mixing so that the cream doesn't split. Add the flour - cream mixture and give it a good mix. Keep it on low flame.

Now add the chicken strips back into the pan. Let it simmer in the gravy for a minute. Turn of the heat and stir in the mustard sauce/paste. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve hot with some plain rice or some bread and enjoy the creamy deliciousness.

Notes:

• Make sure to add the mustard right at the end or else the dish could turn bitter.
• Vegetarians can replace chicken with mushrooms!

Aloo Ka Achaar - Nepali Style Potato Salad

The thing with having foodie friends is that you are constantly learning new things from them too. My one such very dear friend A is my partner in crime when it comes to food. We do lunches and dinners to satiate our souls every now and then! She is from Nepal and she treats us to these Nepali delights often. I wouldn't be exaggerating, if I say that she make the best momos I've ever had, so much so that now I never want to eat momos outside! Nepali cuisine is extremely under rated I would say and there is definitely more to momos. One such delightful dish is this Aloo ko Achaar - Nepali Style Potato Salad that A makes and we all love . She was very kind to part with the recipe and I did not lose much time preparing it in my kitchen. It is a delightful salad made with potatoes, red onions, garlic and sesame seeds. And what makes it so different is the tempering with mustard oil . Serve it as a starter with your drinks or as a side dish to your meal - you are going to love it anyway!

 

 

Ingredients:

Potato - 2 large sized - par boiled - thinly sliced

Onion - 1 large - thinly sliced

Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp - dry roasted and grounded into a powder

Green chillies - 2 - finely chopped - use more or less as per taste

Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Mustard oil - 1 tbsp

Fenugreek/methi  seeds - a few

Spring onion - finely chopped- for garnish

Method:

In a bowl mix together the thinly sliced potatoes, onions, green chillies, turmeric powder, chilli powder , salt, sesame seed powder and the lime juice. Give it a good gentle mix.
Check if its well seasoned. Feel free to add more lime juice as per your taste.

In a small pan heat the mustard oil and splutter the fenugreek/methi seeds. Temper the salad with this. Give it a mix. Garnish with chopped spring onion and some toasted sesame seeds.

This is best served at room temperature. A tells me that another variation would be to add dried fish or shrimps to enhance the taste. Sometimes even diced cucumber is also added to it. The options are many and in any which way this is one yummy dish that can be prerpared in a jiffy.

Banana Oats Mini Bundt Cakes - with a chocolate drizzle

When life gives you over ripe bananas, bake a cake! No, seriously, In today's age when each and everything costs a bomb you don't want your hard earned money go down the drain. So  nothing should go waste. And when you see so much poverty around you when even a square meal a day seem a distant dream for so many people, prudence is necessary. I don't  know any other way of using up these odd smelling over ripe bananas, than to turn them into some cakes or muffins. Only the taste of bananas can be over whelming so I like it best to mix it with some chocolate. So here try my recipe of Banana Oats Mini Bundt Cakes - or you can simply make some muffins.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1/2 cup

Oats - 1/4th cup - any rolled oats - dry grind into a fine powder

Cocoa powder - 1/2 cup

Eggs - 2 nos

Olive oil - 1 cup

Sugar  - 1 cup

Mashed bananas - 2 nos - the over ripe ones

Vanilla powder/ vanilla essence-  1 tsp

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Chocolate sauce - for drizzling on the cake - optional

Sprinkles - for decoration - optional

Method:


Preheat oven to 180 deg. centigrade.

Prepare bundt tins or muffin tins.

Sift together wheat flour, oats, cocoa powder and baking powder. Keep aside

Cream the olive oil and sugar together. Beat well till light and fluffy . Add the vanilla powder/essence and beat further.

Add the eggs , one at a time , beating well after each addition.

Add the mashed bananas and give it a good mix.

Now gently fold in the wheat flour mixture. Add in two batches, mix well after each addition.

Pour mixture into the prepared tins , bake for 25 - 30 mins or till done.

Drizzle some chocolate sauce and decoate with sprinkles before serving.

Notes:

• Baking time might vary from oven to oven, so please keep a check.
• A dollop of vanilla ice cream would go very well with warm cake.

 

Summer Salad with Lemon Pepper Vinaigrette

In anticipation of those dreadful summer days I am already exploring cool summery recipes. Come summers - well, its already here considering the temperature is already soaring as high as 35 degress we all need to plan our diet to include fresh vegetables, fruits a plenty. Salads will surely be a part of our daily menu. Like this Summer salad made with everyday vegetables with a generous drizzle of Lemon Pepper vinaigrette.

 

On my recent visit to Bangalore to spend two days with my friend of 15 yrs sans the little boy and the husband I explored few food stores in the city and was spoilt for choices. I was like a little girl in a candy store who didn't know what to buy and what to leave. What first caught my fancy was the variety of peppers - I didn't know of more than 3 kinds and here there were more than 10! There was pink , long and green pepper that I was seeing for the first time. Ideas started flooding my head and I picked up an assortment of 6 kinds of pepper.There were hoards of other stuffs I picked up which would need a dedicated post I suppose. Coming back to my Summer salad with a dressing of lemon pepper vinaigrette using some pretty pink peppers! Those peppers were a revelation..very sweet at the first bite with a woody fiery after kick to  it. I couldn't resist eating those while I prepared the dressing.

 

Ingredients:

Penne pasta - 1 cup - boiled al dente - follow instruction given on the packet

Cucumber - 1 cup - diced

Red bell pepper - half cup - diced

Cherry tomatoes - a handful - halved

Green olives  - a handful - halved

Oilve oil - 1/4th cup

Rice wine vinegar - 1 tsp

Lime juice - 1 tbsp

Pink pepper - 1 tbsp. - crushed

Black pepper - 1 tbsp. - crushed

Coarse sea salt - 1 tbsp. - crushed

Fresh mint leaves - few sprigs - roughly chopped for garnish

Lettuce or any other salad leaves - few leaves for garnish

Grated Parmesan cheese - for garnish - optional

Method:

For the vinaigrette:

Mix together the olive oil, rice wine vinegar,lime juice, crushed pepper and salt. Give it a good stir and keep aside.
This dressing can easily be stored for later use .

For assembling the salad:

Line a salad bowl with the salad leaves. Toss together the pasta, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, tomatoes, olives into the salad bowl. Put in a good drizzle of the vinaigrette. Give it a good mix. Throw in the chopped mint leaves and some grated parmesan. Serve chilled.

Notes:

• This salad is best served chiiled. You can use whatever freash vegetable that catches your fancy!
• Instead of pink pepper use normal black pepper and white pepper.
• Rice wine vinegar can be substituted with apple cider or even normal vinegar.

Grilled Fish with Spinach - Weeknight meal ideas

 

 

Easy weeknight meal ideas is what I am forever scouting for. It saves my time and makes the man happy. Except for Tuesdays, for every single meal the man needs to eat non veg.There are times when I am totally out of ideas or the patience to produce something new. But thanks to the neighbourhood supermarkets , you are spoilt for choice. While I would mostly stick to buying fresh fish from my regular fish monger, once in a while something frozen comes in handy too. A pack of frozen Basa fillet is what caught my fancy on my last trip to the supermarket and scores of recipes started flodding my head!So I promptly grabbed the pack with the intention of cooking it up with some jazz. With winter just about to say goodbye, I wanted to use up the last batch of spinach from my kitchen garden. Teaming it up with the fish seemed like a fabulous option. So here's my recipe of Grilled Fish with Spinach.

 

Ingredients:

Basa Fish fillets - 4-6 pieces - You can use any other white fish fillet like bhetki

Olive oil - few tsps.

Fresh Parsely - a handful finely chopped

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

For the Spinach sauce -

Spinach leaves - 1 cup - finely chopped

Onion - 1 medium - finely chopped

Garlic - 2-3 cloves - minced

Cottage cheese /Paneer - 2 tbsp. - grated

cheddar cheese - 1 tbsp. - grated

Fresh cream - 1 tbsp.

salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Sugar - a pinch

Cherry tomatoes for garnish

Method :

Marinate the fish fillets with olive oil, salt ,pepper and chopped parsley. Keep aside while the sauce is being made.

For the sauce:

Heat a tsp of olive oil in a pan. Add the minced garlic and chopped onion and sweat it till transluscent. Don't brown it.

Next add the chopped spinach and cook covered till the water released from spinach dries up.

Add grated cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper and sugar and give it a good mix.

Add fresh cream, remove from heat and keep aside.

Preparing the fish:

In a thick bottomed pan, brush a little olive oil. Place the fish fillets and cook for 2-3 mins on each side. Don't overcook the fish or it gets a rubbery texture.

Remove from pan and serve along with the spinach sauce. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and freshly chopped parsley.

Notes:

• I used Basa but any white fish fillet like bhetki would do just fine. Just keep an eye while cooking the fish so that u don't overcook. It takes very little time.
• I kept the sauce chunky in texture but you can puree it into a smooth sauce as per your taste. Just grind the sauce in a handblender and strain.

Keema Aloo - Minced mutton with potatoes in a rich gravy

 

All the meat lovers are going to gorge on this recipe. The versatility of this recipe is that it pairs up beautifully with rice as well as breads. Again the use of everyday spices and a winner of a dish.Growing up in a Bengali household it is natural to add some potatoes to our meat dishes. The Sunday Mutton curry is incomplete with the soft potatoes to be mashed along with the rice and balanced with a squirt of lime. But when I posted this dish on a popular foodie group  I found a lot of people were not used to the idea of potatoes in a meat dish. I am glad to be sharing this recipe with my readers.

 

Ingredients:

Mutton mince/keema - 500 gms

Potatoes - 2 medium - cut into small cubes

Onion paste - 5 tbsp.

Garlic- ginger paste - 2 tbsp.

Tomato puree - 3 tbsp.

Kashmiri red chilii powder - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

sugar - a pinch

Mustard oil - 2 tbsp.

Garam masala - 1 tbsp.

To be dry roasted and grounded to a coarse powder  :                             

Coriander seeds/dhania - 1 tbsp.

Cumin/jeera seeds - 1 tbsp.

Dried red chillies - 2-3

Method:

In a pressure cooker, add the mustard oil. Once it reaches smoking point reduce the flame and add the onion , ginger garlic paste. Fry on low flame till browned. This will take a while but make sure this paste is very well cooked and there is no pungent smell.

Tip in the mutton mince. Increase the heat and cook the mince till it turns lightly brown in color. Now add the tomato puree, red chilli powder, the coriander-cumin dry roasted powder, salt and sugar. Mix everything well.Add a little warm water and let it cook.

Roast the masala well along with the mince. Add some more warm water and let the masalas cook well. At this point add the cubed potatoes.

Add a cup of warm water, put in the garam masala powder and pressure cook for 1 whistle.

Remove from heat and serve hot topped with some onion rings and a squirt of lime.

Tandoori Chicken - The super easy version

 

There will be days inyour life when no matter how much you enjoy cooking and say its a therapy for you..the very thought of cooking will give you the jitters. Happens to me many times too often. Nevertheless you still want something yummy, something comforting and take aways are not an option either. What does one do?! Make this super easy version of Oven Grilled Tandoori Chicken. Ever since I have been on the  healthy eating path, tandoori chicken has been my faithful companion. Everytime in doubt, a piece of well grilled succulent juicy chicken makes me happy. And the bong in me just needs a bit of rice and daal along and I am good to go. The only effort in this dish is the marination that can be done even a day ahead. The marinated chicken can be frozen too for upto a week.

 

Ingredients:

Chicken drumsticks - 8-10 pieces

Hung curd - 2 tbsp.

Lime juice - 1 tbsp.

Salt - to taste

Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Kashmiri red chilli powder  - 1 tbsp.

Garam masala powder - 1 tbsp.

Gram flour/Besan  - 1 tsp

Mustard oil - 1 tbsp.

Butter/oil - for basting

Method:
 Wash and dry the chicken drumsticks. Make small gashes all over. Marinate with salt and lime juice and keep aside for 15 mins.

In a bowl, mix together the curd, ginger-garlic paste,kashmiri red chili powder,garam masala powder, gram flour and mustard oil.

Add the chicken pieces and coat each of the piece well with the marinade. Cover the bowl with a cling film and keep in the refrigerator for atleast 2 hours or more.

Line a baking tray with foil paper. Place the chicken pieces and grill in a preheated oven at 250 degree centigrade.

Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce and a side of mint chutney and onion rings.

 

Sausage Rolls - Perfect for winter evenings

I love winter afternoons. They are perfect to do some baking..perfect to dole out some goodies from my kitchen...perfect to show my loved ones that I love them! The aroma of baking fresh bread at home just adds to the pleasure. So today I made this very easy Sausage Rolls just perfect to go with your evening cuppa.

Ingredients:

Flour / Maida - 1 1/2 cup + a little more to adjust the dough

Instant yeast - 1 pack - approx. 7 gms

Salt - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Milk - half cup

Olive oil - 2 tsp

For the filling:

Chicken sausages - 12 nos

Readymade pasta sauce - few tbsps.

Grated parmesan cheese - approx. 2 tbsp.

Method:

Making the dough.

In a bowl add the flour ,instant yeast , salt and sugar. Add the milk gently and bind into a dough. Add the olive oil and knead the dough on a floured surface for atleast 10-12 mins till its soft, smooth and springy.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and keep in a warm place. I usually place it inside the microwave.

Let the dough rise for an hour. It will become double the size. take it out on a floured surface and knock down the dough gently.

Now make 12 small sized balls from the dough. Roll out each into small rounds - like puris but not very thin.

Apply some pasta sauce, place a cocktail sausage and sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese. Fold the two sides into the centre in the shape of a roll.
Follow the same process to make all the rolls.

Place each of the rolls in an oiled baking tray. You could also line the tray with some foil paper. Cover with a cling and let them rise again for 20 mins. Brush the rolls with some lightly beaten eggs.

Bake in a preheated oven for 20 mins at 180 degree centigrade.

Serve hot staright out of the oven . It even stores well for upto 2 days.

I had made a few dozens of these sausage rolls for KFB's maiden Bake sale and they were my bestsellers! Extremely easy to make and lovely to eat..what more does one want from life.

 

 

 

 

Mushroom Tomato Quiche - Rustic and Hearty

Having lived in Delhi for many years I miss a proper winter in Kolkata. The cold mornings making it impossible to get out of bed..still dragging oneself out to attend a class while in college or reporting at work later..those are my fondest memories of Delhi winters. Ofcourse there was the food...tucking into creamy sarson saag with crispy makki roti at a neighbourhood dhaba, those were the days. Endless cups of coffee and a hot water bag to keep me warm was what winter was all about.
Here in Kolkata I miss all that. The weather has just got a bit nippy here and everyday I pray that let it get a little more colder here. Winter also means whipping up hearty rustic dishes in my kitchen using freshest of winter produce. Been wanting to make a quiche for sometime and today seemed the perfect opportunity. Kept it simple and baked a delicious Mushroom Tomato Quiche and indulgently topped it up with some grated parmesan.

 

Ingredients:

For the pastry dough:

Flour - 1 cup

Butter - 50 gms - chilled

Egg - 1 lightly beaten

Salt - 1 tsp

For the filling:

Mushroom - 1 cup - thinly sliced

Onion  - 1 medium - finely chopped

Garlic - 2-3 pods - crushed

Cherry tomatoes - a few - halved

Egg - 2 -lightly beaten

Cream - 1 cup - I used Amul

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Olive oil - 1 tsp

Oregano - 1 tbsp.

Chilli flakes - half a tsp

Grated Parmesan cheese - a handful

Method:

The pastry dough:

Mix the flour, salt and the chilled cubes of butter with a fork or using your fingers until mixed well and resembles breadcrumbs. Now put in the beaten egg and make into a soft dough.

Wrap the dough with a cling wrap and refrigerate for 20 mins.

Making the pie crust:

Roll the dough on a well floured board into a circle,rolling from the centre to the edge,turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half,place in a pie pan and unfold to fit the pan.
Pierce the covered pie pan with a fork to avoid the pie crust from flaking up while blind baking.

Bake the crust in a preheated oven at 180 degree centigrade for 10 to 15 mins till lightly golden in colour.

Making the filling:

In a pan heat the olive oil. Add the crushed garlic and sautee till light brown. Add the onion and let it sweat for 5 mins. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook till  done. It will realease a lot of water...cook till that evaporates. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and chilli flakes.

Remove from heat and let this mixture cool down.
In a bowl add together the eggs and the cream. Season with salt and pepper and mix together with the mushroom mixture.

Pour this mixture into the half- baked pie crust. Top with cherry tomatoes and a generous sprinkling of grated parmesan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree centigrade for 20- 25 mins.

Serve hot.