Recipe: Vegetarian Leek and Feta Cake

Did you know vegetarianism began in the 1800s?

Maite Gomez-Rejón of ARTBITES combined her art and cooking passions to teach a class at Saturday about the rise of vegetarianism in the mid-19th century alongside the birth of the .

Gomez-Rejón shared her recipe for a dish that class attendees made on Saturday:

Recipe for Leek & Feta Cake, by Maite Gomez-Rejón

Related to garlic and onion, leeks are native to the Near East and have been prized by gourmets for thousands of years. The Roman Emperor Nero believed leeks would improve his singing voice and is said to have eaten large quantities to that end. In Renaissance Italy, leeks were thought to have aphrodisiacal qualities and should be consumed on one's wedding night; they were also thought to be a cure for drunkenness.

• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for frying
• 2 lbs of leeks, chopped, white and light green parts only
• 5 eggs
• 5 tbsp flour
• black pepper
• generous handful dill, stemmed and chopped
• generous handful basil, stemmed and chopped
• 14 oz feta cheese, mashed with a fork

1. Saute the leeks in about 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat until very soft.

2. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the flour until well blended. Add pepper and the chopped herbs and mix well. Fold the mashed cheese and leeks into the egg and flour mixture.

3. Fill the bottom of a nonstick pan with oil and pour in about 2 tbsp of the mixture to make a few fritters at a time. Turn each over once and cook until both sides are golden brown.

4. Drain on paper towels and serve hot or cold.

Serves 6