Vegan Quiche Lorraine

My Measurements Tips

• T – is for Tablespoon
• t – is for teaspoon

• Yields: 1- 10 inch pie bottom
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Blind Bake Crust Cook Time: 20 minutes @350F
• Quiche Cook Time: 25 minutes @400F

This is the yummiest breakfast or lunch go to for my husband and I lately. When we used to eat eggs years ago we never really enjoyed quiche that much. I think we got sick of the taste of eggs to be honest. This vegan Quiche Lorraine recipe has the all the savoury breakfast flavours we both enjoy plus the delicious smokey bacon, cheese and tomato make it irresistible. The fresh vegetables from the local Shamrock Farms in the Comox Valley made this pie taste even better. What I have come to learn to since living here is, Vancouver climate yields some of the most plentiful vegetable crops in Canada which is due to its tropical like climate. Every day of the week, I am able to select fresh local produce and artisan must haves at these cute little farm stands at the ends of kind folks driveways. The famers markets are also a daily event here which is a cooking heaven dream! I love fresh herbs like the chopped fresh thyme in this recipe, which also adds to that deep savoury taste. If you love savoury dishes with a flaky crust then this recipe is for you. Oh and how about this pie with that fresh cup of morning coffee! Yup, that pairs just perfectly!

Pie Crust Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 t sea salt
• 1/4 cup cold water to 2 T vinegar mixture
• 1/2 cup chilled vegan butter
• 2 cups uncooked rice or beans for blind baking

Quiche Lorraine Filling Ingredients

• 6 cherry or plum tomatoes, sliced in halves and baked
• 5 strips of smokey tempeh bacon, chopped and pan fried
• 1/4 cup white onion peeled, diced and sautéed
• 1 T garlic clove, peeled, minced and sautéed
• 400 grams firm non GMO tofu
• 1/3 cup aqua faba liquid
• 3 T milk alternative
• 1/2 cup gluten free flour or all purpose flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1 t sea salt
• 1 t dried oregano
• 1/2 t turmeric powder
• 1 T chopped fresh thyme
• 4 T nutritional yeast
• 1/2 t smoked paprika
• 1/2 t liquid smoked
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese
• a little extra olive oil

Crust Instructions

1. Prepare the water and vinegar mixture by pouring into a bowl, give it a good stir then set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl add the flour and salt and mix well.
3. Slice the chilled butter into small chucks and pour them into the flour. Using a pastry cutter begin cutting the butter into the flour until it begins to resemble a crumbly texture and the butter pieces are the size of peas or slightly smaller.
4. Slowly begin to pour in the water and vinegar mixture, and using you hands bring the dough together until all the flour is wet. Then begin to form a dough ball while being careful not to over work the dough.
5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place and chill for 1 hour.
6. After the dough is chilled, sprinkle some flour onto a clean counter space and also onto a rolling pin.
7. Grab the dough and place it onto the floured counter. Grab the dough ball and knead it for 10 seconds, then begin rolling it from centre outward to form a 1/8” thick circle.
8. Carefully place the pie crust into the pan using the rolling pin by folding the dough over the rolling pin half way, then lifting it the dough over the pan.
9. Cut off excess dough to hang roughly 1 inch over the edges of the pan. Use your fingers to create a wavy trim on the edges of the pie by squeezing the dough trim with your thumb and index finger and pressing your other thumb between the index finger and thumb. Repeat this squeezing technique all the way around the trim.
10. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the dough. Pour in the beans or rice to the rim level. Place the pie in the oven to blind bake for 20 minutes.
11. Remove pie from the oven. Remove baking rice or beans and parchment paper.

Quiche Lorraine Filling Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Rinse the tomatoes, slice in halves and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little olive oil and some sea salt. Place them in the oven to bake for 10 minutes.
3. Peel and finely dice the onions and mince the garlic. Place both into a stove top pan. Sprinkle with a little olive oil and sea salt. Sauté for 8 minutes on medium heat.
4. Chop the tempeh into small chunks. Pour the tempeh into a frying pan and add a little sprinkle of smoked paprika and a drizzle of olive oil. Fry until crispy and set aside.
5. In a food processor add the tofu, liquid faba, liquid smoke, chopped thyme, half the pan fried tempeh bacon, and all the other spices. Blend to a liquid consistency then set aside.
6. Add the sautéed onions and garlic to the blender for 10 seconds on high speed.
7. Pour the filling into the blind baked pie shell.
8. Sprinkle the spinach evenly over the filling. Using a fork and begin pushing the spinach into the filling until only small parts are sticking up.
9. Evenly sprinkle the vegan cheese over top.
10. Remove the tomatoes from the oven when ready and place throughout the filling.
11. Then sprinkle the pan fried tempeh bacon.
12. Optional to glaze the dough trim with a mixture of; 1 tablespoon milk alternative and 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
13. Using a basting brush, glaze the entire top of the filling with olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt on top.
14. Place the Quiche in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. Once baked set aside for 10 minutes before serving.

MUST HAVES

• pastry cutter or fork
• large bowl
• rolling pin
• extra flour
• extra olive oil
• 1- 10 inch round quiche pan
• plastic wrap
• parchment paper
• uncooked beans or rice
• electric blender