We had friends over at Easter, including the darling, Colette.  Colette is a vegetarian and not a great fan of cooking so, over the years, whenever I came across a great, simple, vegetarian dish, I would give her the recipe.  Belinda Jeffery’s Zucchini, Feta and Dill Pie, is one such recipe.  Colette even got Mix and Bake for a birthday present one year. It is not a vegetarian book but Belinda’s books do include a significant number of vegetarian recipes.

Anyway, I have made this recipe a couple of times before and knew it was very tasty and easy to make so, despite having given Colette the recipe, I decided to make it.  Big mistake!!  My kindness came back to bite me:)

When Colette asked what was for dinner and I told her it was going to be Belinda’s Zucchini, Feta and Dill Pie, she looked a bit taken a back and then said, “tried and true”.   With trepidation, I asked her how many times she had made it.  “About 10,” was her reply.  Hooly dooly!

It just goes to show what a good recipe it is.  It is especially good in summer when zucchinis and tomatoes are cheap and plentiful.

The situation is getting serious.  I only have a limited number of tried and true vegetarian recipes to call on.  No more recipes for Colette.

This recipe serves 6.  It is from Mix & Bake by Belinda Jeffery.

• Fine polenta, for dusting the tin
• 700g zucchini, coarsely grated
• 5 eggs
• 125 mls olive oil
• 1 cup chives, chopped (I usually use chopped spring onions)
• ½ cup dill or mint or basil, chopped (I used basil this time)
• 220g feta (You need a good Greek crumbly feta, like Dordoni.  Don’t buy Danish feta for this.)
• 150g parmesan, grated
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 150g self-raising flour
• cherry tomatoes, halved
• mint leaves, to serve (I forgot the mint leaves, damn it).

1. Put the grated zucchini into a large sieve set over a bowl, sit a plate on top, weigh it down (I used a couple of tins of canned food) and leave to drain.
2. Butter a 22cm square cake tin and line the base and sides with buttered baking paper. Dust the tin with the polenta, tap out the excess, and set aside.
3. Break the eggs into a large bowl and whisk them together.
4. Add the oil, chives (or shallots) and dill (or mint or basil) and whisk to combine.
5. Squeeze out as much liquid from the zucchini as possible, then stir the grated zucchini into the egg mixture.
6. Crumble most of the feta (reserving a little for the top of the pie) into the mixture and stir to combine.
7. Add the parmesan and stir again.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Add the flour and mix until it is well combined.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared tin, then smooth the top with a spatula.
11. Sprinkle the reserved feta over the top and gently press cherry tomato halves, cut side up, into the surface.
12. Preheat your oven to 180°C.
13. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the top of the pie is springy when pressed.
    Belinda advises to make sure the top is quite bouncy.
14. When it’s ready, take the pie out of the oven and cool it in the tin for 10 -15 minutes.
15. Scatter some mint leaves on top.
16. Serve with a green salad.

Belinda suggests, if you are brave enough: grasp the baking paper and lift the pie out of the tin onto a serving plate, then slide the paper out from underneath.  Or, if you are not that brave, put a wire rack on top and invert the pie onto the rack. Peel away the paper, then sit your serving platter on top of the pie and invert it again or … if you are a wuss, serve from the tin:)