Helen invented this recipe and it’s definitely a winner! It’s a tasty main dish using butternut squash or pumpkin in a soufflé style filling. You don’t need to be too precise with the amount of purée. You can make this recipe grain free using buckwheat flakes, but if oats don’t bother you, use oats! The soufflé filling can be eaten without the base. Cook in a small oven proof dish and serve as a soufflé – easy!
serves 6
Base
120 ml olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
60g hazelnuts
60g almonds
120g buckwheat flakes or oats flakes
60g buckwheat flour
Filling
400g pumpkin purée *
30g butter or vegan margarine
30g gluten free plain flour
240 ml almond or soya milk
2 eggs separated
pinch of chilli flakes
Pine nuts or flaked almonds to decorate the top
*You can make pumpkin purée using a butternut squash. Cut in half and scoop out seeds turn upside down on a lined baking tray and bake in a 200 c oven until soft – it will take 40 mins to an hour depending on the size. Whizz to a purée in a blender or liquidizer.
1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Begin by grinding or chopping the nuts until fine.
2. Gently heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Once warm, remove from the heat the garlic, oregano and the rest of base ingredients. Mix well together and press into a 28cm flan tin. Cover the base and sides entirely, pushing down to compress the mix. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes until lightly golden and crisp.
3. Now make the filling. Melt the butter or margarine in a small pan , stir in the flour and add the milk gradually to make a thick white sauce. You can do this with a whisk to prevent lumps forming. Add the egg yolks and pumpkin purée and a pinch or two of chilli flakes to spice it up!
4. Whisk egg whites until they form stiff peaks and carefully fold into the pumpkin mix with a large metal spoon. Add this light and airy mix to the part cooked flan base being careful not to flatten it or the eggs will deflate.
5. Top with the pine nuts or flaked almonds and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until risen and golden.
