This parsnip tart with feta and walnuts tastes very luxurious. In fact, if you want to be really fancy, you can also call it a quiche. While parsnips are often associated with the holiday season, this dish is a great option for any cold winters day.
The parsnip is a plant native to Eurasia, where they were already a food staple in antiquity. They’re a true winter vegetable. They don’t care about bit of frost, in fact it will make them taste even sweeter. They grow best in sandy soil but they also grew very nicely in the clay soil of our vegetable garden. So apparently they’re not that picky.
Just how long people have been eating parsnips exactly, is a bit unclear. Because in ancient literature, they don’t really make a distinction between parsnips and carrots. The fact that back then carrots came in all colours, including white, makes it all even more confusing. What is clear though, is that the parsnip fell out of favour when the first potato arrived in Europe.
Parsnips are closely related to carrots and parsley. Especially parsnips and carrots have a lot of similarities and in cooking they often have similar uses. It’s possible to eat them raw, baked, cooked, roasted or steamed. Raw they have a more nutty taste, while cooking really brings out their sweet taste.
In this recipe, that sweetness is complemented by the feta cheese. The walnuts are also sweet but give the dish a bit of texture with their crunch. All that sweetness is than balanced out by the yoghurt. Because of the role the yoghurt has in this recipe, it’s best to choose a type that nice and sour. It might also be handy to go for a drinkable type, as this will be easy to mix in.
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Ingredients
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- Begin by preparing the pastry. Rub the oil through the flour to a crumbly texture. Then add the cold water and stir together. Knead the dough until it comes together.
- The dough will be very soft and slightly sticky. So the best way to put it into the pastry case, is by kneading it into place with your fingers. Store it in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
- Cut the onions into thin half-moons. Cook them in a little bit of oil, until they're translucent.
- Peel the parsnips and cut them into small cubes. Add them to the onions and cook them until they're slightly softened.
- Reduce the heat and add the milk. Cook for about 3 minutes until the milk has reduced a bit. Take the pan from the heat and transfer the vegetables to a bowl. Season with black pepper and set aside to cool.
- Cut the feta cheese into chunks and chop the walnuts. Stir them through the cooled vegetables.
- Beat the eggs and yoghurt together with a fork. Season with plenty of black pepper.
- Start filling the pastry case. First add the parsnip mixture. Then pour the egg-mixture on top. Make sure to distribute everything evenly. Top the quiche with the grated cheese.
- Put the cake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C (390°F). Bake for about 40 minutes or until the filling is set. Serve the quiche straight from the oven.
Gosh, made this earlier today as I had some fresh parsnips left over from a stew earlier in the week. Absolutely gorgeous, loved it all. Did not quite have enough walnuts so substituted a about 20g of mixed nuts instead. Oh my! Served it with potatoes and mashed swede and carrots – again left over from the stew. Thank goodness for google and those that post.