Make your own walnut pastry for this delicious Carrot Pie. The walnut pastry is an easy pie crust that can also be made with pecans. The carrot filling works beautifully in this simple pie, the key is to slightly cook and cool the carrots before mixing in the cottage cheese, parmesan, eggs and dill. Bake the carrot pie until set and golden.
Carrot Pie Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
750g carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
2 tsp plain flour
250g cottage cheese
½ cup finely grated parmesan
3 eggs, whisked
¼ cup dill sprigs, finely chopped
Walnut Pastry
2 cups plain flour
½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
125g butter, chilled, diced
1 egg
Method:
To make the walnut pastry, process flour and walnuts in a food processor until walnuts are finely chopped. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add egg and process until a pastry forms. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200˚C. Grease a 22cm fluted loose-base flan pan. Roll pastry until 3mm thick. Line pan with pastry. Trim. Cover with baking paper and fill with baking beads. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove beads and paper. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool. Reduce oven to 180˚C.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle over flour and stir. Cool. Combine cheese and eggs. Add carrot mixture and dill. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon into pie shell. Bake for 25 minutes or until set and golden. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve.
Smart Tip:
The pastry will keep, tightly wrapped in plastic film, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Return pastry to room temperature before rolling.
