Vegetable Gougere

I made this last week and reminded myself again how yummy it is. I reckon you could make individual ones of these too.

75g plain flour

salt and pepper

150ml boiling water

55g butter

2 eggs

55g Gruyere cheese, finely diced (I use cheddar and grate it)

Filling:

85g butter

handful of basil leaves

1 tsp finely chopped chives

about 570g mixed (baby or cut up small) veges (e.g. carrots, mange-touts, broad beans, turnips, broccoli florets, spring onions, courgettes, baby corn)

Heat oven to 200 Degrees C. Sieve the flour with some salt and pepper onto a sheet of greaseproof paper (lunch wrap is fine). Measure water into a saucepan, add the butter cut into pieces. When butter has melted, bring to boil, remove from heat and add sieved flour. Beat, over a moderate heat, till mixture leaves the sides of the pan. You can do this with a wooden spoon or an electric hand beater.

Turn mixture into a warmed bowl; add the eggs one at a time, beating well. Stir in all the cheese. (You can sprinkle more on top later if you like.)

Place spoonfuls in a 25cm circle on cooking paper. Bake in oven about 35 mins till well risen and golden brown. Try not to open the oven door in the first 20 mins.

Remove when cooked, cut into half and lift off the top.

Herb butter: Melt butter in a small pan, add roughly chopped basil leaves and chives, heat gently on a low heat for 5 mins. Whiz in processor (I never bother). Keep warm till needed.

Trim and prepare the veges; cook as required (the suggestion is to steam the different kinds each in a little foil package - I bung them all in together). Turn warm veges onto a bowl, pour over the herb butter and stir, spoon the buttery veges into the pastry case and put the lid back on top.