Celebration Tart

October 8, 2009

This Tart recipe is from Canadian cookbook author Dreena Burton, http://viveleveganrecipes.blogspot.com/, from VegNews Magazine November 2010. I’ve made this recipe numerous times and it is always a hit; use store-bought vegan pie crust or use the recipe below to make your own.

Savoury, scrumptious, and so unexpected, this tart really has it all. Combining the most prominent flavours of the holiday season—namely savoury thyme, crisp cranberries, homey spinach, and hearty chickpeas—this dish is guaranteed to satisfy. With the added benefit of not having to explain your taste for Tofurky to family members who love to ask, “Why d’ya eat stuff that looks like meat, but not real meat?” this stunning tart makes a memorable centerpiece. Want to indulge both your savoury and sweet sides? Go ahead and dollop your favourite cranberry sauce on top of your freshly baked wedge.

Nutritionally, you can’t beat the one-two punch of cranberries and walnuts. Cranberries boast their awesome antioxidant power, and walnuts provide the very necessary omega-3s, omega-6s, and vitamin B6. Oh, and did we mention they—along with the chickpeas—provide a snappy answer to the other inevitable family-gathering question? Yes, that would be the one about protein. For any other questions, respond with an irresistible slice of tart—everyone will be too busy chewing to ask anything else.

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup onion, diced
  • 3/4 cup celery, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 14-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed (reserving 1/4 cup)
  • 3/4 cup walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons tamari
  • 1-1/4 cups frozen chopped spinach
  • 3-1/2 tablespoons dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 9-inch prepared whole-wheat pie shell, thawed
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (for brushing)
  • 1 teaspoon tamari (for brushing)
  • 2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped (garnish)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (garnish)

Procedure:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook for 7 to 9 minutes until onions soften and begin to caramelize. Set aside.
  2. In a food processor, add chickpeas (except 1/4 reserved cup), walnuts, lemon juice, and tamari, and pulse to lightly chop (do not purée). Remove half of chopped mixture from food processor and transfer to a large bowl.
  3. Transfer sautéed onions to the remaining mixture in food processor. Purée until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
  4. Transfer purée to bowl with lightly chopped chickpea and walnut mixture. Add spinach, cranberries, parsley, thyme, and cup of reserved chickpeas. Stir to combine and transfer to prepared pie shell, spreading evenly.
  5. Combine oil and tamari, and brush on top of pie and crust. Sprinkle with walnuts. Bake for 33 to 38 minutes until lightly browned. Half way through baking cover the edge of the crust with tin foil to keep it from getting too brown
  6. Garnish with parsley, cut in wedges, and serve.

Flaky Pie Crust for Thanksgiving Tart

In the Balanced Plate, this pie crust is suggested for the pumpkin pie, from all the research I’ve done it looks like it would be perfect for the Thanksgiving Tart as well. You can double the recipe and use it for the Pumpkin pie as well or use a Graham Cracker crust for the pie, that’s what I do – yummy

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 cup spelt flour or additional whole wheat pastry flour
  • 2 tbsp organic sugar or brown sugar
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • 8 tbsp or roughly ½ cup, cold pressed coconut butter, organic grapeseed of safflower oil or Earth Balance Vegan shortening
  • 3-6 tbsp cold water

Procedure

  1. Sift the flours, sugar baking powder and salt into a bowl
  2. Mix in the coconut butter, oil or shortening, and 3 tbsp of the water, first with a wooden spoon and then with your hands until a dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add another tbsp or two of water.
  3. Press into a 9” or 10” pie plate

Posted by Donna | Filed Under Recipes 

Comments

One Response to “Celebration Tart”

  1. Thanksgiving on a Vegan Diet | Elation Centre on October 8th, 2010 1:37 am

    [...] Thanksgiving Tart [...]

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