Gluten-free autumn bakes from Laura Muthesius and Nora Eisermann, the photographer and food stylist behind Our Food Stories

When Laura and Nora started dating, neither of them could cook, and eating out was tricky because of Laura’s food intolerances. So Nora taught herself. “Neither of us comes from a family with a strong cooking tradition, so it felt natural for us to explore and experiment,” they say. Their aim is simple: vegetarian food that you’d never guess was gluten-free.

These two recipes celebrate the best of the season. “For the best flavour, always use the best ingredients you can find. In many cases, buying local, seasonal and organic will be your best option. We encourage you to improvise and make substitutions: use your favourite ingredients, or whatever you have to hand.”

Sweet potato and chickpea quiche with quinoa crust

Orange sweet potato, cumin and coriander give this quiche extra brightness and spark.

A sweet potato, chickpea and pea quiche in a fluted tart tin on a wooden board, with a hand squeezing lemon over it

Serves 8

Ingredients

For the quinoa crust

  • 200g quinoa
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp salt

For the filling

  • 200g sweet potato
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 spring onions
  • 100g cooked chickpeas
  • 125g cooked sweetcorn
  • 125g cooked peas
  • 200ml coconut milk
  • 4 eggs
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp honey
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • A pinch of pepper
  • Marjoram (or other herbs), to serve

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 225°C/gas 7.
  2. Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions and leave to cool. Peel the sweet potato, cut into slices about 7mm thick, and cut the slices in half. Lay them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and brush or drizzle with the olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes, then take out of the oven and turn the heat down to 180°C/gas 4.
  3. Mix the quinoa well with the egg and 1 tsp salt and spoon it into a greased 26cm tart tin, pressing it down firmly on the base and sides. Bake the crust for 15 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, cut the spring onions into long pieces or slices. Rinse the chickpeas, sweetcorn and peas and mix them together.
  5. For the filling, stir the coconut milk well in a mixing bowl. If it’s still flaky, warm it gently in a small pan, stirring until smooth. Beat the tepid (not hot) coconut milk with the eggs, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, garlic and honey.
  6. When the crust comes out of the oven, spread two-thirds of the chickpea and vegetable mixture over it, then pour over the egg mixture. Scatter the rest of the vegetables and the sweet potato on top and bake for 35 minutes.
  7. Leave the quiche to cool slightly, then sprinkle with marjoram or other herbs before serving.

Tip: use a tart tin without a removable base, otherwise the egg mixture can drip through the quinoa crust.

Pear and walnut cake with vanilla and cardamom

“There’s something lovely and bittersweet about faded maple leaves still clinging to branches and the rustle of fallen leaves underfoot,” say Laura and Nora. They baked this cake one blue-skied late autumn morning and carried it into the woods near their studio to photograph. “The gentle warm spice of the pear and walnut cake was just the right complement. Not a piece was left by the end of the day.”

Slices of pear and walnut loaf cake dusted with icing sugar, with whole baked pears inside, held on a wooden board against golden autumn leaves

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 150g unsalted butter, softened
  • 160g sugar (coconut or white)
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • 120g rice flour
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 to 2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 125g ground walnuts
  • 3 pears (ripe but not too soft, stalks left on)
  • 1 tbsp icing sugar

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Line a loaf tin with baking paper, then grease and flour the paper.
  2. Beat the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla together with a hand mixer for 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
  3. Mix the rice flour, baking powder and cardamom in a separate bowl, then stir into the butter and egg mixture. Stir in the ground walnuts and spread the batter evenly in the tin.
  4. Rinse the pears, pat them dry and stand them evenly spaced in the batter, pressing them down so only the stalks show.
  5. Bake for 55 minutes. If the top is browning too much after 45 minutes, cover it with foil.
  6. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then lift it out and leave it to reach room temperature. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Cover of A Year with Our Food Stories: Gluten-Free Seasonal Fare

These recipes are from A Year with Our Food Stories: Gluten-Free Seasonal Fare by Our Food Stories (Gestalten, £35), with more seasonal recipes for every month of the year.

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