Spinach Vegan Tart
Growing up I used to love savoury tarts and quiche. In Italy we called them Torta Salata (could be translated as savoury cake) and there's no limit to the variety of ingredients and different types of filling you can use. Baking these savoury tarts can be a truly delicious creativity exercise.
I used to buy the dough from the supermarket, and that would make the preparation so easy and quick. It was a very simple treat to prepare for parties, dinners with friends, or just yummy dinners.
Well, after discovering I was celiac, ready-to-bake dough was not an option for a long time, so I had to become more resourceful!
I started making the dough myself, however most of the recipes I found at the time were filled with butter, the crust was very crumbly and I wasn't enthusiastic about the taste. Until I found this recipe for the base. I love it because it's made with naturally gluten-free grains and olive oil. It has such a special aroma and flavour, rich and natural.
Spinach and Ricotta is one of the most traditional Tart flavours in Italy (you can find the original recipe at this link), but I adapted the original version to please my vegan friends, I hope you will enjoy it.
Ingredients (8 portions)
500 gr spinach
200 gr cashew nuts, soaked overnight
150 gr soft organic tofu
1 garlic clove
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Salt to taste
For the crust:
100 gr grounded almond
50 gr coconut flour
50 gr millet flour
40 gr ground chickpeas or gram flour
10 gr xanthan gum
3 tbsp olive oil
5 gr salt
100 ml water
Start from the crust: mix the dry ingredients in a bowl: the flours, salt, xanthan. Add the oil and mix with a fork. Pour in the water, start mixing with the fork and continue with the hands until you can form a smooth ball. Wrap in cling film and keep in the fridge for 1 hour.
Sprinkle some olive oil on a pan and bring to medium heat and add the spinach. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softer, not completely cooked. Let it cool down and remove the excess water.
Blend the cashews in a food processor until crumbly. If it's too dry add 50 ml of almond milk. Crush the garlic and add it to the cashew paste, together with the tofu. Blend until creamy.
Take the spinach and cut them in small threads with a knife and fork. If you like a more creamy texture you can blend them. Mix with the cashew-tofu paste. Add the salt and spices.
Roll the dough until 3-4 mm thick and create the base of the quiche in a rounded tin, covered in baking paper. I usually roll the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper and then transfer the dough together with the bottom baking sheet.
Adjust the shape on the sides (it should be around 5 cm high), create some wholes in the dough with a fork, then pour the filling.
Bake in pre-heated oven at 180 °C for 45 minutes.
TIPS: Make sure you let the quiche cool down at least 30 minutes before serving. It's perfectly ok to preserve the quiche in the fridge for 24 hours, if you want to keep it for longer you can freeze it instead.
Have you tried it? Do you have any suggestions? Leave your comment!
