I love eggs. There I’ve said it.
Which probably makes for an odd introduction to a vegan recipe…..stick with me though.
Yes I include high quality animal products into my diet but I am also firmly plant focused & thus also frequently feature natural sources of plant based protein in my diet too.
And want to encourage others to do the same.
Because there’s a lot of marketing out there for meat replacement products that I would prefer people didn’t eat. Especially when there are beans, lentils, pulses, organic tofu & tempeh, nuts, seeds & whole grains to provide all the natural protein someone not eating animal products could need.
But of course should you like your meal to read more like a chemistry experiment then please do go ahead. But perhaps you might try this rather fetching looking chap first….!
Preheat your oven to 190°C, lightly grease a tart or pie tin with avocado or olive oil.
Add the ground flaxseed to a large bowl with 6 tablespoons of water, mix well & leave to sit for 10 minutes.
Mix vigorously for 15 seconds then add the rest of the crust ingredients, folding everything together. Gradually add in 8 tablespoons of water a couple at a time, mixing it in until you have a smooth dough that isn’t overly sticky. (You might not need all the water, or you may need a couple more tablespoons, you’re looking for a consistency that you can pick up & roll between your fingers easily).
Break off pieces of the dough & form a crust in your tin, pressing it into the edges & making it as even in thickness as you can. Bake for 15 minutes in the centre of the oven.
Meanwhile add the tofu to a food processor with the nut milk blending until completely smooth (scrape down the sides a couple of times). Finely grate or crush the garlic then add to the tofu with the nutritional yeast, miso paste/salt & pepper. Blend well.
Bring a small pan of water to the boil, drop in your peas, cook for 30 seconds if fresh, 1 minute if frozen, drain & dry well. Use a vegetable peeler to create ribbons from your courgettes & slice the spring onions/leeks in half down their length.
Take your crust out of the oven & add half of your tofu mixture, sprinkle over the peas & gently press them down into it. Spoon in the rest of the tofu mix & arrange your onions/leeks & courgette ribbons on top (press them in lightly) before finally adding pinches of dill.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden, leave in the tin for 5 minutes once it’s ready & then serve either warm or at room temperature.
Keep covered in the fridge & use within 4 days.