Butternut Squash and Tofu Tart with Almond and Buckwheat Crust
This tart is not only healthy and delicious but is an absolute show-stopper, the perfect plant-based sharing dish for all your festive gatherings. It's filled with seasonal vegetables and packed with plant protein. It's also free from gluten and dairy, meaning it can be enjoyed by almost anyone, regardless of their diet or lifestyle. It's topped with pistachios for a beautiful splash of colour and delicious crunch, and dried cranberries for a little hit of something sweet. Serve it with all the festive trimmings or simply a mound of sautéed greens or brussel sprouts.
What you'll need:
For the crust:
- 95g almond flour (1 cup)
- 120g buckwheat flour (1 cup)
- 10g coconut sugar (2 tablespoons)
- 3g salt (1/2 teaspoon)
- 100g coconut oil, softened a little but still scoop-able (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2-3 tablespoons cold water
- 3 tablespoons apple sauce or pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
For the filling:
- 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- Olive oil for frying
- 1 red onion, finely sliced into half moons
- 1 jar Organic Tofu
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 2 bay leaves
For the topping:
- 30g dried cranberries (1/4 cup)
- 30g pistachios (1/4 cup)
For the dressing:
- 30g tahini (2 tablespoons)
- 1/4 teaspoon matcha
- 2 teaspoons water
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to make it:
The crust:
1. Sift the flours, coconut sugar and salt into a mixing bowl
2. If you haven't already, soften the coconut oil in a microwave in 5-10 second increments. You want it softened but still scoop-able, if it is runny, you have melted it too much. (If you are making this recipe in the summer months, this step may not be necessary as your coconut oil will likely already be the perfect texture)
3. Add the softened coconut oil and dried rosemary and mix together
4. In a separate bowl, combine the water, apple sauce/pumpkin puree and apple cider vinegar, then pour over the flour mixture and combine. Use your hands to roll into a rough ball, then place in the fridge for 30 minutes or so. Chilling the dough is not essential but recommended as it makes it more manageable
5. Once chilled, take the dough out of the fridge and place on a floured surface. Use a floured rolling pin to roll out to a circle of around 1/2 cm in thickness
6. Lightly grease a tart tin with coconut oil, then place the rolled pastry into it, folding any excess around the edges back into the tin (in the name of waste-free, we don't chop off the excess!). Use a fork to poke a few holes in the pastry base and set aside while you make the filling.
The filling:
1. Peel and cube the squash, then boil until soft (around 20 minutes), drain and set aside
2. Add the spices and bay leaves to a frying pan and dry toast them for a minute or 2 until fragrant, then add a glug of olive oil and the onion. Stir to combine and fry the onion until soft, then add the cubed tofu, mix to ensure the tofu is thoroughly coated in the spices, then fry until golden. Remove the bay leaves from the pan
3. Add the drained squash to the pan with the onion and tofu and use a fork to partially mash, then mix to combine and remove from the heat. Pour the tofu mix into the pastry and bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees C until the pastry is golden (40-50 minutes)
The topping:
Crush or roughly chop the pistachios then sprinkle them over the tart with the dried cranberries.
The Dressing:
Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and season to your liking. Drizzle over the tart when you are ready to serve.
Serving suggestions
Serve with all the usual Christmas trimmings, or keep it simple with a side of steamed or sautéed greens, lemon juice, zest and toasted nuts. You can store any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
