Chard Pie

I love to cook one-pot meals. I love dishes that put to use a big surplus of vegetables, like the spinach that is billowing out of my garden right now! During the fall and winter, I cook big pots of soup pretty much every weekend. But once spring comes around, I'm usually ready for a change. I think that's why I just can't get enough of Maria's savory vegetable pie.

The beauty of this recipe is how versatile it is – you can pretty much make it with whatever veggies you have on hand. I've made it with lacinato kale, chard, spinach, and roasted asparagus – each one in a separate pie, although I'm sure a combination would work out just fine. I bet broccoli pie would be delicious! The one recommendation I have is to use a lot of greens, especially greens like spinach that cook down significantly. It's the best when you fill up the pie pan almost completely with the greens so that the egg mixture simply holds it together. That way, when you slice into the pie, the delicious vegetables are the stars rather than the egg, like a quiche.

Chard Pie

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking

I make this pie completely dairy-free, but I'm sure that some cheese would be a delicious addition.

The Crust:

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix the following ingredients with a fork until thoroughly blended:

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup milk or water (I use almond milk)

The dough will be difficult to roll, so press it evenly into a 9 inch deep dish pie pan or 11-inch tart pan. Bake until the crust is set and lightly golden, about 15 minutes, pricking once or twice if it bubbles. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.

The Greens:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 - 3 shallots, thinly sliced

1 lb. + chard leaves or other greens, stems removed*, washed and chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp. fresh oregano or basil, minced

salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste

In a large skillet, cook the shallots in the olive oil over medium-low heat until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the oregano, salt and peppers. Increase the heat to medium and add the greens and garlic to the pan. Cook until tender, about 8 - 10 minutes (less for spinach).

* If you're using chard or kale, don't throw out the stems! Chop them up and saute them with the shallots. They take a little longer to cook than the greens, but are very nutritious and delicious!

The Filling:

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup almond milk

a little salt and pepper

Combine the ingredients above in a bowl and then add the greens. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pie crust and spread evenly. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake until the filling is golden and firm, about 25 - 35 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy!