Cauliflower cheese pie

My sister just had an adorable baby and of course new babies require food... for the proud parents and grandparents. So, it was my duty, other than to hold little Holly, to bring the sides. Since my sister and her husband aren't the biggest carb fans (it's seemingly genetic, but that will have to wait for another post), I had to be a bit tricksy. Hence the cauliflower pie.

I must admit that I didn't randomly stumble upon this while pretending to do work in the office. Instead, a friend made this and I was able to find a great version online. I cannot say enough about this side dish. It was delicious, not too unhealthy, and unique. Also, I made it a day ahead and warmed it up with no complaints. It was great!

Potato Crust:
2 firmly packed cups grated raw potato (I used Yukon gold)
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup grated onion

 Pie:
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
3/4-1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp freshly milled black pepper
3 T. unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 medium cauliflower, broken into SMALL florets
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried
3/4 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
1 3/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
Paprika (I used a smoky Spanish varietal)

Directions

Potato crust:
Preheat oven to 400 and grease 9" pie pan. Place potatoes in colander, toss with salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Squeeze out excess water by pressing pieces into colander. Combined drained potatoes with egg and onion in medium bowl. Pat mixture into oiled pie pan, building up sides of crust. Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown, brushing crust with a bit of olive oil after 1st 20 minutes to crisp.

Filling:

Reduce oven to 350 when crust is done. Meanwhile, beat eggs, milk ,1/2 tsp salt, pepper in small bowl. Set aside. Melt butter in large skillet. Add onions, garlic, and 1/4-1/2 tsp remaining salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Add cauiliflower, parsley, basil and thyme. Cook, covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Over crust, layer 1/2 the cheese, then the cauliflower mixture, then the remaining cheese. Pour the milk mixture over the top and lightly dust with paprika. Bake 35-40 minutes until set.

So, I forgot to take pictures until the last minute!