- Prep time: 20 min
- Cook time: 20 min
- Total time: 40 min
- Servings: 8 people
Savoury Tarte Tatin with Walnut Ricotta
Ingredients
Filling
2 large red onions, finely sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 dates, pitted and chopped
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
Crust
1.5 cups besan flour
½ cup almond flour
1⁄4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
300g silken tofu
1 cup soy milk
Walnut ricotta
1.5 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
Garnish
Fresh thyme leaves
Method
- Preheat an oven to 180 degrees C.
- In a large stainless steel or cast iron frying pan, fry the onions until they begin to caramelise. Add a dash of water and continue to fry until they are softened and browned. Add the balsamic vinegar, chopped dates, salt and pepper. Stir and fry until the moisture has evaporated and the onions are soft.
- To make the ‘crust’ mix the besan flour, almond flour, nutritional yeast flakes, baking powder and salt. Add the soy milk and silken tofu (this will break up as it’s very soft), mix until it forms a thick batter.
- In the bottom of a non-stick pie dish, scatter the cherry tomatoes. Add the caramelised onion and drizzle over the pomegranate molasses. Pour over the crust batter and place into the oven for 35 minutes.
- While the tart is baking, blend the walnut ricotta ingredients with half cup water until smooth.
- Take the tart out of the oven and let it cool. Invert onto a serving plate and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. Slice and serve with a dollop of walnut ricotta.
The health benefits
When sharing food with friends and family it’s always nice to know it’s also benefitting their health. This tart looks amazing on the table and everyone will love a slice. It’s low in saturated fat and full of lycopene, a carotenoid which gives tomatoes their red colour. Lycopene is a strong antioxidant that can help prevent cell damage and affect cancer. It is also rich in protein and fibre that comes from using besan flour (made from chickpeas or garbanzo beans) and silken tofu in the crust. The walnut ricotta is a great plant-based alternative to a dairy cheese as it’s lower in saturated fats and contains more fibre and omega 3s.
The ingredients
Cherry tomatoes make this dish so vibrant and beautiful. Either red or yellow work well. Red onions are preferred over white or brown as they contain higher levels of anthocyanins, and antioxidant that gives fruits and vegetable the purple colour. Besan flour is easily sourced from many supermarkets or health food stores. Pomegranate molasses is also usually easy to find but can be substituted for a balsamic glaze. Try to use a soft silken tofu so that it mixes well through the batter to make the crust.
The method
This tart, although it looks fancy, is really easy to make. Start by lining your tart tin with non-stick baking paper and laying the halved cherry tomatoes onto this. While the onions are caramelising in a frying pan, make the batter for the crust. Spoon the onions onto the cherry tomatoes and top with the batter. While the tart is cooking you can blend the ingredients for the walnut ricotta. Once the tart has baked in the oven, remove it and let it cool slightly. Place a large serving plate over the top of the tin and invert the tart so that it turns upside-down onto the plate. Gently peel off the baking paper and garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme and a large dollop of walnut ricotta.
The verdict
This savoury tarte tatin is a crowd pleaser! It’s lovely served with a green salad on a hot day. Enjoy with those you love.
Nutritional values
Savoury Tarte Tatin (per serve – 1/8 of whole tart)
Calories: 242 | Protein: 16 g | Carbohydrates: 30 g | Fat: 7.2 g | Saturated Fat: 0.7 g | Omega 3s: 0.1 g | Fibre: 6.9 g | Iron: 2.5 mg | Calcium: 77 mg
Walnut Ricotta (per serve – 2 tablespoons)
Calories: 102 | Protein: 2.7 g | Carbohydrates: 2.5 g | Fat: 8 g | Saturated Fat: 0.9 g | Omega 3s: 1.4 g | Fibre: 1.2 g | Iron: 0.5 mg | Calcium: 16 mg
