Colorful, soft, and full of flavor: the pumpkin and broccoli flan is one of those simple recipes that immediately lifts your spirits. Perfect for winter, this vegetarian dish combines the sweetness of pumpkin with the stronger flavor of broccoli, with the addition of diced scamorza cheese that melts during cooking, giving it a soft and stringy texture, truly irresistible.
The oven cooking makes it practical and versatile: you can prepare it as a single flan, ideal for a family dinner, or in individual portions, perfect to serve as an appetizer or a light main dish. It’s an easy, genuine, and colorful recipe, perfect for bringing a touch of cheer to the colder days.
Try it yourself: with a few ingredients and little time, you’ll serve a tasty and fragrant flan that will win everyone over at the first taste!
Here are more ideas for you:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 275.25 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 21.99 (g) of which sugars 3.02 (g)
- Proteins 12.25 (g)
- Fat 16.36 (g) of which saturated 2.26 (g)of which unsaturated 7.10 (g)
- Fibers 1.68 (g)
- Sodium 134.36 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 130 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 5.3 oz pumpkin (net of waste)
- 5.3 oz broccoli (florets)
- 3.5 oz scamorza cheese
- 3 oz all-purpose flour
- 1 egg (large)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp Grana Padano cheese, grated
- 1 tsp instant yeast for savory preparations
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- butter (for the mold)
- breadcrumbs (for the mold)
Tools
- Baking Dish or individual molds
- Pan
- Bowl
- Whisk
- Pot
- Colander
Preparation
After cleaning, cut the pumpkin into small cubes. Cook it in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt until tender but still firm.
Wash the broccoli florets and boil them in salted boiling water for 5-6 minutes. Drain and let them cool along with the pumpkin (1).
In the meantime, prepare the batter: crack the egg into a bowl and beat it with milk and vegetable oil.
Add salt, pepper, grated Grana Padano, sifted flour, and yeast.
Mix with a whisk until you have a smooth and fluid mixture (2).
Add the chopped scamorza cheese, pumpkin, and broccoli. If you wish, you can set aside a handful of ingredients to add later.
Take a baking dish (or 3-4 individual molds), butter it, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Pour the mixture inside and, if desired, distribute the reserved pumpkin, broccoli, and scamorza cheese on the surface (3).
Place the dish in a fan oven at 180°F and bake the flan for 30-35 minutes. Always adjust the times based on your oven and the mold used.
The pumpkin and broccoli flan is ready, you can serve it hot or warm, bringing it to the table directly in the baking dish.
Tips and Notes
You can also steam the broccoli, or cook them in a pan with a little water, oil, and salt.
You can remove or leave the pumpkin skin as you prefer.
With the indicated quantities, you can make one flan about 8 inches in diameter, or 3-4 small individual tarts.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I omit the broccoli?
Sure, if you prefer, you can make the flan with only pumpkin (in this case, increase the amount to about 10.5 oz). Alternatively, you can replace the green broccoli with cauliflower, Romanesco broccoli, or turnip greens sautéed in a pan.
How do I store the pumpkin and broccoli flan?
You can store it for 1 day in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.
