Quick Comfort: Quiches and Noodles

An end to winter might be in sight, but we are still seeking out some comfort foods to tide us over…Here are some ideas for you to try, and each one should take you about 20 minutes or less to prepare…

And I know for many people this is a bit early to hear, but I’m thinking ahead…it’s a great idea, when making these kinds of meals, to double it and put half away for later. Then, in the last two hectic weeks leading up to Pesach (yes, I am thinking about it already!) you will have a warm and nourishing meal you can just defrost and pop into an oven for your family to enjoy. Remember – well-fed workers have more stamina.

Quick and Savory Vegetable Pie (x2!)

6 servings

Ingredients:

Pie dough:

• 1 cup (200 g) trans fat free margarine
• 3 cups finely ground whole wheat flour
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk or water
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar

Instructions:

1. Crumble together all the ingredients except the liquids.
2. Add the liquids and knead it together by hand until it becomes a dough.
3. Wrap this pie dough in a plastic bag and place in the fridge for an hour before using.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
5. When ready, press the dough down into the 9 inch somewhat deep pie pan or casserole dish of your choice, extending it a bit over the edges.
6. Pierce it all over with the tines of a fork so it will not puff up when baking.
7. Bake the pie crust for only 10 minutes before adding in the vegetable filling.

Vegetable filling:

• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 yellow pepper, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 firm, medium zucchinis, sliced into thin rings
• 6 fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 can sliced green beans, drained
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

1. Sautee these vegetables in the olive oil for 10 minutes. They will begin to soften. Remove them to a bowl and add in the following ingredients to the bowl:

• 6 eggs or 8 egg whites, beaten slightly with a fork first
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 1 cup shredded yellow cheese of your choice – which you can leave out if you want to decrease the fat content of this pie
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons parsley flakes

1. Mix this all together and pour it into your pre-baked pie shell. Bake at 350°F / 180°C for 45 minutes or until set. If it starts to burn on top, cover it loosely with foil, leaving the edges open so that steam can escape and allow it to finish baking. It will be somewhat wet when serving it straight from the oven, but it firms up a bit more as it cools off.

Here’s another quickie idea that you can do with the same pie crust ; just substitute this vegetable filling for the one above, and then proceed the same way with the egg/cheese mixture before baking.

• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 can peas or peas and carrots, drained
• 2 cups frozen cauliflower florets, thawed and chopped into bits
• 1 cup tofu, cut into small squares

1. Sautee the onions as in the above step.
2. Add the rest of the vegetables, and tofu and mix.
3. Add in the egg/cheese mixture and proceed to bake it. Delicious!

No Crust Spinach Quiche

6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 heaping cups frozen bugless spinach, thawed
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 6 fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 6 eggs or 8 egg whites
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup shredded yellow cheese, any kind
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

1. Place the spinach into a colander to drain while thawing. Using your fingers or a fork, separate the clumps of spinach as much as possible. Set this aside while you prepare the rest of the quiche.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C.
3. Sautee the onion in the olive oil until it turns soft. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook 5 more minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Beat the eggs with a fork until foamy. Add in the sauteed vegetables and the thawed spinach. Add in all the rest of the ingredients and mix together well.
5. Pour this mixture into a greased 9 inch casserole dish, giving it room to expand a bit while baking. Bake for 40 minutes, until the quiche has set. Serve immediately as it will not freeze well.

And now one more dairy idea that is a staple favorite in my home. Everyone, big and small alike loves this one. It has a delicious aroma when baking and makes the house smell so inviting when walking in from a cold day outside. Besides, aside from the boiling of the noodles, it takes just minutes, usually less than 10! – to put together. I often place it in the oven on a timer, set to go off just a few minutes before the troupes walk in…

“Pizza Noodles”

(a.k.a. Tofu Noodle Casserole – but don’t tell them that’s what it really is, otherwise they won’t even look at it! My own euphemism for tofu is ‘white cheese’…)

Ingredients:

• 1 bag (500 g/about 1 lb.) of whole wheat noodles, any shape
• 1 block of tofu (about 300-400 g/¾ to 1 lb.)
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup smooth white cheese, ½% or 5% (gvina levana in Israel) OR another cup of cottage cheese
• 1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon basil, optional
• 2 cups tomato sauce (in Israel, some pastes are very thick; just add ½ cup of water to it and mix, it will become sauce-like consistency)
• 1 cup shredded yellow cheese, any kind, optional

You can use any kind of noodle. I choose whole wheat ones as they are going to be smothered in sauce anyhow and the kids can’t see them; this way, it’s not just another white flour noodle kugel. Boil the noodles until al dente (that means it’s undercooked by about 2 minutes) and drain.

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, shred your tofu. Add the noodles to this and then the cottage cheese and spices.
2. Scoop the tomato sauce over all and mix thoroughly. Pour this out into a waiting 9×13 baking pan. If you want it to be more pizza like, add on the shredded yellow cheese now.

This only takes about 25 – 30 minutes to bake in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven. If you plan on being out all afternoon with your family, you can make it in the morning, cover it with plastic and leave it, uncooked, in your fridge. Then just preheat your oven and slide it in as soon as you come back home again. By the time your family has washed up, settled themselves, and are arranged around the table, you will have ample time for your casserole to be done. Slice and serve straight from the oven and watch them all ask for seconds!

Tamar Ansh is an author, freelance recipe developer, and food columnist. Her articles have appeared in Jewish publications worldwide. She has published 4 books so far which include: Splitting the Sea (Targum Press), inspirational stories on finding one’s soul-mate; Let’s Say Amen!, an illustrated children’s book about the holiness of Amen (Feldheim Publishers); her first cookbook, A Taste of Tradition (Feldheim Publishers) which is both gluten free and kosher for Passover. Her most recent book is called A Taste of Challah (Feldheim Publishers, 2007). It is a photographic guide to baking and shaping beautiful challahs, and includes many other healthy and interesting bread types as well. Visit www.TasteofChallah.com to see all her books online, as well as other, not yet published, challah and bread recipes. She will be coming on a short book tour and speaking in two different places in the Tri-State area the week of March 4-9th! See her website for details and locations.

The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.