VEGAN RUSTIC VEGETABLE TART, RECIPE AND IDEAS

I PERSONALLY LOVE THIS TART, AND IT'S  CREATION CAME ABOUT AS I CAN NO LONGER ENJOY PIZZA, AS I AM LACTOSE INTOLERANT AND I DON'T LIKE VEGAN CHEESES.
THIS IS A TART MADE WITH EITHER ROASTED OR SAUTEED VEGETABLES AND , WRAPPED IN  A WHOLE WHEAT YEAST PASTRY WITH A BASE OF EITHER BEAN OR SMOKED EGGPLANT HUMMUS.







THE CRUST..MAKES 1 LARGE 8 INCH TART:

1 tsp active dried yeast
pinch of sugar
1/4 cup warm water
Mix together and allow it to get frothy, set aside.


Meanwhile in a food processor:

1 cup wholewheat flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp any dried herb of choice (if using fresh then use 3tsp)
3 tbsp vegetable shortening or olive oil

Extra flour for dusting and rolling

Pulse together lightly to 'breadcrumb" stage.
With processor working, slowly drizzle in the frothy yeast mix to form a light dough ( it may be sticky, that is fine).
Gently turn out of the processor bowl on to a lightly flour dusted board, and roll into a ball.
 
Dust lightly with flour, and place in a warm greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean cotton towel and allow to rise in a warm place until double in size ( approx 45 mins)


Knock back the dough , then roll out to a 10 inch wide circle.

Place on an ungreased 8 inch pie pan and allow the pastry to droop over the edge

You may use, hummus, baba ganoush (smoked eggplant spread/dip), tahini, peanut butter, any roasted nut butter, or vegan cheese. ( for great recipes for a great and easy hummus check out my ebook "RECIPES FOR SUCCESS on www.amazon/kindle.com)
Spread this in the middle of the circle, allow a 2 inch space around the edge.

Top this with any roasted vegetables or sauteed (make sure that the vegetables are drained or this will make the pie crust base soggy). Again mix plenty of fresh or dried herbs into the vegetable mix and this should compliment the herb in the pastry.


Fold over the pie edges to meet in the middle..it will leave a gap.
Top this gap with any cracked or pitted olives, washed and drained capers.
Then drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.
Brush the pastry on the outside with a little nut milk and sprinkle with coarse sea salt or sesame/poppy seeds.

Bake in a preheated oven on a lined cookie sheet middle of oven 375F for 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool in pan, drizzle again with olive oil or wine/lemon juice and decorate with fresh herbs.
Slide the tart onto a warm serving plate preferably with a small edge, to hold the tart juices but not inhibit the knife cutting.
Serve warm or room temperature and cut into slices at the table..This is spectacular any season.


Variations: add any raw or roasted no salt nut, for a crustier base sprinkle the base with coarse cornmeal/polenta before covering with pastry.

CRANBERRY-WALNUT-CINNAMON-APPLE....... BOLTON CAKES..fantastic "cakes" for tea time or lunch boxes RECIPE, TIPS & PHOTOS

These are wonderful caramely-appley-spiced  cakes and began life in the North West Of England.
They are a cross between a Chorley cake (the place of my birth), which are just plain short crust pastry filled with currants and rolled out very thing and baked, then served slathered with butter or margarine  and Eccles cakes, which are usually made with "rough puff "or puff pastry and filled with sugar, dried fruit, butter or margarine and sugar.
I have taken artistic licence and named these after my maternal side of the family, The Boltons, as when Mum baked she always gave me leftovers to make pies, and they ended up something similar using jam.

There is no real recipe  but here is a shortcrust/flakey pie crust recipe for going on with..adapt it to any way that you feel comfortable with, this makes 2-3 Bolton Cakes depending on size.

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2tsp sea salt
2/3 cup vegan shortening  ( DO NOT USE VEGAN MARGARINE IT HAS TOO MUCH WATER)

6-10 tbsp cold water (depends on dryness of the flour) 

Pulse the salt and flours together in a food processor.
Then add the fat and pulse to form fine "breadcrumbs" ( do not over run the machine as this will create heat that will break down the fat).
Gradually add cold water until a loose dough is produced, (continue to pulse as you add the water).
Form into a ball and set aside wrapped in wax paper for 30 mins minimum.




The filling:

3 large apples grated ( 2 cups)
1/2 cup broken walnuts
1 cup dried cranberries
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp ground cloves

Make this 30 mins ahead of baking so the juice from the apples is soaked up by the dried cranberries.



Vegan margarine for spreading

Sugar for topping 

Nut milk for brushing


Method:


Cut the dough into 3 pieces.
Then roll out 1 piece on a floured board, IN TO A "FREE FORM" CIRCLE ( It is not an absolute necessity to be a perfect circle) to just less than 1/4 inch thickness.
Spread liberally with Vegan margarine, leaving a gap of 2 inches round the edges

Top this with 1/3 of the apple mix, then fold the sides into the middle to seal.

Turn this over and then pat down, and form into a circle with your hands, do not be tempted to roll out as this is very juicy.
Place seam side down an greased cookie sheet, then continue to make the rest.
Brush with nut milk and sprinkle with sugar

Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 30-45 mins (I used another cookie  tray on lower level to protect the base of pastries from burning, and the sugar and juice WILL spill from the pastries and this forms a good caramel.)

When golden brown remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet.

When cool enough to handle, using a spatula remove from tray and cool on plates.

Serve at room temp.

These can be sliced in half or serve whole...do not ask for taste testers there is not enough.

Variations: use Any dried fruit, larger types cut into small pieces with kitchen scissors; Use any nut of choice.
You may add some sugar to the filling, but be careful when baking as this extra sugar makes the juice very sweet and this will burn as it is released.

Enjoy GOOD Vegan EATING.