Sunday 10 July 2011

Peach, Swiss Chard and Cabrales Pie



I've been thinking about making this Provençal pie for a few years now but the whole idea of vegetables and fruit didn't quite do it for me.  I'm used to eating spinach with sultanas and pine nuts, a Catalan dish that I love but I needed to clinch the recipe.  I mused over different cheese and even bought two or three but in the end I decided on the cabrales.  A strong blue cheese from Asturias in northern Spain.  It can be made from unpasteurised cows milk or more traditionally made with a blend of goat's and sheep's milk.  Other blue cheeses can be used in its place, Stilton would be a good choice.

The pastry is made with a blend of plain flour and Gofio, a toasted wheatgerm from the Canary Islands.

Serves 4 - 6

Preheat oven to 180°c

Ingredients

For the pastry
150g plain flour
50g gofio
100g butter
1 egg yolk
1 - 2 tablespoons cold water
salt and freshly ground pepper

Filling
1 kg Swiss chard or spinach
80g pine nuts
80g sultanas
100g cabrales
2 - 3 peaches
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of sugar
salt and pepper
2 eggs
50ml single cream or milk

How to go about it

Firstly put the sultanas in half a cup of water and bring to boil and then leave to cool in liquid.  Rub the butter into the two flour, add salt and a good grinding of pepper.  Bind with egg yolk and water to form pastry.  knead for seconds and wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Take off the centres of chard an use in another recipe.  Cook green part in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and cool and squeeze out all of liquid.  Lightly roast pine nuts, finely chop chard and mix with sultanas, pine nuts, spices, eggs, and cream, crumble the cheese and also add.  Season. 

Butter shallow pie dish and roll-out half the pastry and line pie dish.  Fill with chard mixture.  Cut peaches in half and stone and slice in medium slices, lay on top of chard and sprinkle the sugar on top.  Roll out the other half of pastry and cover the pie.  Brush with beaten egg mixed with tablespoon of water.  Bake for 45 - 55 minutes.






I wasn't disappointed, I think it was worth the two year musing before making it.  After all, you can't rush things in the Mediterranean.


6 comments:

  1. Caroline, can you seal it in an airtight bag and post to the UK right now please?

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  2. I'm not really a fan of sultanas, but I could maybe substitute them for somthing else? This looks really good, and I like the idea of peaches and blue cheese together!

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  3. I would think it is no problem to leave out sultanas. It just adds a little bit more sweetness.

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  4. I know exactly what you mean...vegetables and fruit. However, you've changed my mind!

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  5. Yes, I really enjoyed this pie, which surprised me but I think it was the blue cheese that married it all together.

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  6. Some of the best food in the world comes form the Provence but more to the point some of the best food comes from this blog!! keep up the good work Madam poo

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