I asked some of our clients if they had ideas for a recipe to get my creative juices flowing... Kim, she said "come and pick some silver beet from my garden" and if you can make me something with it bring me some back to try.
So it was a deal, this is what I used and made..
Before Picking
Silverbeet, what a beauty...A vegetable that can be cut at their stems and will grow back fairly quickly it will definitely produce enough to make multiple dishes over the season..
Short crust pastry
I cheat and use my kitchen aid , however it can be done in a bowl using your hands , if you do ensure your butter is cold and you use finger tips only to do the crumbing..
Pastry ingredient and quantity ;
Cut butter into equal sized cubes
Place butter and flour into mixer , user a beater blade and use till you get a find crumble, then add one egg, and pinch of salt
then add cold water, I find if your room is hot, use an ice cube in with your water works well
It should start to come away from the edge and get sticky, ideally if you have time to rest for 30 mins in fridge
However if you are on a tight deadline can cook straight from making to rolling for your pie tray but always over cut your pastry around the edges so if it shrinks you should still have a deep enough vessel for your fillings
Your fillings can anything you find delicious , can add meat or keep it to herbs and or greens, you can add different types of cheeses for different affects.
When rolling out make sure your surface is dry and you have flour dusting it as well your rolling pin, it hopefully should out enough for 1 large pie dish or 6 small ones
Lining a pie dish with home made short crust pastry, then once in prick with form to stop it puffing too much
Blind bake, I use dried beans and work well cook until it hardens then remove beans and foil and cook without til golden, remove cool sightly to add your fillings
This is cooked of bacon approx 150-200g and the silverbeet and three cheeses, I layer the heavy stuff first then add my egg custard mixture and maybe finish with herbs, cracked pepper and parmasen cheese
Layer with cheeses, here I have used a crumbled dry fetta and Mersey valley tasty
To make egg custard, 8 eggs , 1/2 tsp salt, I'm really liking salt flakes.
Cracked black pepper as desired, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and a little flour about 1-2 tablespoons and 1/2 cup milk
Before baking I sprinkle with some flaked parmigiana cheese and cracked black pepper
Cook in a oven at about 180 degrees Celsius for approx 20 mins
Can eat once done, however if you want to serve a neat slice best to make day before and let set and reheat or eat cold...
Let me know what do you think of having the pictures in the recipe
Cheers Tracy :)