A few weeks ago we saw a quiche with rolled up zucchini. Beautiful! An additional benefit from rolling up the zucchini is that its taste is more present in the quiche, compared to adding (round) slices of zucchini to the filling. The recipe was published (in German) by Amalie. She bases her recipe on one by Geraldine.

Feta is a white, brined cheese made in Greece, from sheep’s milk, or a blend of sheep’s and goat’s milk. Feta is salty, crumbly and tangy. It doesn’t completely melt, which is great when using it in a pie. Feta is essential when making a Greek salad or Spanakopita. It combines very well with olives, olive oil and oregano.

Zucchini is used in Greece for various dishes, for instance zucchini chips (thinly sliced zucchini, coated with a thin batter, and then fried) and zucchini fritters (made with grated zucchini and feta)

Combining zucchini, feta and fresh oregano makes a lot of sense. The aromatic character of fresh oregano goes very well with the sweetness and light bitterness of the zucchini. Feta’s saltiness and sharpness is balanced with oregano’s hint of earthiness, pepper and citrus.

Drink Pairing

Serve as a starter with a glass of unoaked, fresh and fruity white wine. We enjoyed a Pinot Grigio made by Tenute SalvaTerra in the heart of the Valpolicella Classica region, north of Verona.

What You Need

• For the Pastry (15 cm or 6 in springform cake tin)
  • 100 grams of Flour
  • 50 grams of Water
  • 10 grams of Olive Oil
  • 1 teaspoon of fresh Oregano
  • 1 gram of Salt
• For the Filling
  • 1 organic Zucchini
  • 125 grams of Feta
  • 2 organic Eggs
  • 50 grams Double Cream
  • 30 grams of Crème Fraîche
  • 1 teaspoon (or more!) of fresh Oregano
  • Black Pepper

What You Do

1. Combine flour, oregano and salt
2. Add water and olive oil
3. Kneed for a minute or so and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
4. Preheat your oven to 180˚ C or 355˚ F
5. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface
6. Coat a 15 cm or 6 inch round springform cake tin with oil
7. Place the dough in the baking form
8. Use a fork to make small holes in the pastry
9. Line the pastry with parchment paper or aluminium foil, add baking beans and bake blind for 10 minutes. Best is to use the second level of the oven rack, so just below the central one
10. Remove the beans and the paper or foil
11. Leave the pie shell in the oven for 5 minutes
12. Remove from the oven and allow to cool
13. Wash the zucchini
14. Use a kitchen knife to slice into thin ribbons
15. Crumble some feta on each zucchini ribbon, add a touch of black pepper and roll it up
16. Arrange the zucchini rolls in the blind baked pie-shell
17. Combine eggs, cream, crème fraîche and oregano
18. Pour the mixture over the zucchini, making sure it’s evenly distributed
19. Transfer to the oven for 30-40 minutes on 180˚ C or 355˚ F, same level as earlier
20. Immediately after having removed the pie from the oven, brush the outside with olive oil. This will intensify the colour of the pastry
21. Let cool and enjoy lukewarm (65˚ C or 150˚ F)