Its All Hallows Eve and what better recipe to cook than a pumpkin based one? We have just returned from many weeks away and the cupboards were bare. Yes I did some shopping but you know what its like, it takes a few forays to get the pantry back up to speed. This is where necessity is most definitely the mother of invention. I had tofu and I had pumpkin. A bit weird I know, but that’s what it was. I also had pesto in the freezer which I had made the last time there was a glut of basil leaves. So, the three came together and I have to say that my tasting team (Mark and Kirsty) were very pleased with the outcome. The mixture of these three layers creates a satisfying meal and the mouth feel is very pleasant.
My thinking is that you could make this early in the day so that when your doorbell starts to go with ghoulish creatures asking for sweets, your temple will be all calm and satisfied and able to cope with the onslaught.
Serves 4
The Base
350g raw pumpkin
45g (1/2 c) flaxseed meal
100g (1 c) quinoa flour
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
30ml olive oil
115g pesto
You may notice that there are two different pie dishes. That is because my dear Sun Temple-ers, I usually make things over and over to get them right so your temple benefits from not being frustrated by a recipe that doesn’t work.
Tofu Topping
350g silken extra firm tofu
1 garlic clove
30ml olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp pine nuts
Begin by steaming the pumpkin until soft. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease the dish you will be using with a little olive oil. I used a standard sized pie dish. Add all the ingredients for the base to the food processor bowl and blitz until it is smooth. Spread the resulting loveliness evenly into the awaiting dish and place in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until it is cooked through but not dried out.
While this is happening, cavalierly wash out the food processor bowl, no need to be precious, and blitz together the tofu topping ingredients.
All the mixing and blending in this recipe can be done by hand. I say that because I’m aware that I use my food processor rather a lot as I find it a really useful tool, but not everyone owns one. So, mix here with whatever is your favourite tool. I’d rather you try this than be put off by the process.
When the base is cooked and you’ve allowed it to cool a bit, spread all the pesto, followed by the tofu topping, taking care to do this evenly, and crown with the pine nuts.
Pop back into the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes again or until the 3 layers are hot through and the pine nuts have gone all golden and delicious.
I’m happy to say that this “pizza” slices up beautifully and is very well behaved. No fighting to get it out of the dish or falling apart on the way to the plate.
We ate our pizza slice with green beans and roasted red peppers, and it looked, smelled and tasted fab!
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