It's pie Tim, just not as we know it...

My husband needs sympathy. There is nothing he likes more that a good steak, lamb stew or a meat pie. And yet, this joyfully carnivorous father of three children, is now the father of three vegetarian children. Yikes! Now I like to think I am supporting this difficult transition for the man, I really do, but I'm not cooking several different meals for those of us still living at home. So, like it or not, he is eating a lot more vegetarian food. And this week that mean't that pie WAS on the menu, just not the kind of pie he might have picked off a menu. But a good pie it was indeed! Not the quickest to throw together as it isn't pastry-based, so you can't simply buy ready-made shortcrust and be done with it, but it was nice to have something a bit different. And it was very satisfying and filling, despite the lack of any meat in there. Something for the regular recipe rotation then, and sorry Tim, you'll get used to it, really, you will...

Chard and Smoked Gouda Pie
adapted from Simply Organic by Jesse Ziff Cool and France Ruffenach
Serves 4-5

2 cups shredded raw potatoes (don't bother to peel them)
1 shallot, finely chopped
7 large eggs
1/4 cup AP flour
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
olive oil
olive oil spray
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large bunch Swiss chard (I used red, hence the pink tinge in the photo above)
1 1/2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese
1 cup milk
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400F (220C). Lightly oil a 9" deep-dish pie plate.
2. Use some kitchen roll to pat dry the potatoes. Then mix them with one of the eggs, the chopped shallot, the flour, salt and pepper.
3. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to spread this mixture evenly in the pie plate, so it goes evenly across the base and all the way up the sides (it'll end up being about 1/2" thick). Spray with olive oil spray. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the crust is browned.
4. Prepare the chard - wash and pat it dry, then cut out the center ribs and chop them. Take the leaves and chop them separately into smallish pieces.
5. Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then saute the red onion for about 4 minutes or until soft but not brown. Add the garlic and the chopped chard ribs and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Add the chard leaves and cook until they have wilted. Drain off any excess liquid.
6. In a large bowl, beat the remaining 6 eggs with the milk, oregano and 1 cup of the cheese. Add the chard mixture and stir together.
7. Pour the chard and egg mixture into the pie crust, then sprinkle the top with the breadcrumbs and remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
8. Reduce the heat to 350F (180C) and bake the pie for another 30 minutes by which time the top should be browning and a knife inserted into the middle should come out relatively clean, showing that the eggs are cooked. Let the pie stand for 15 minutes to set completely before serving.