Vegan Tofu-Leek Tart

Cooking in a dorm has the potential to be difficult. Cooking vegan in a dorm has the potential to be even more difficult. Luckily, a recipe that I tested from Voluptuous Vegan by Myra Kornfeld was easy-peasy lemon squeezy! This tart is really, really good. The only change I would make is to fold the mushrooms into the filling before baking to improve the texture of the tart. Other than that, it has amazing flavor and is a great dish to woo vegans and non-vegans alike.

It may look like there is a lot of effort involved in this recipe with all the different components, but it all is quite easy and comes together quicker than you would think. Because I do live a limited-ingredient lifestyle I had to substitute some of the ingredients, which I've mentioned below.

Vegan Tofu-Leek Tart with Pine Nut Crust

(adapted from Voluptuous Vegan by Myra Kornfeld)

Crust

½ cup pine nuts (replaced with walnuts)

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (replaced with all-purpose flour)

¼ teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup plain soy milk

Salt

Mushroom Topping

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

6 cups thinly sliced mixed mushrooms (about 1 pound)

2 tablespoons shoyu (replaced with soy sauce)

Tofu-Leek Filling

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 cups chopped leeks, white part only

1 pound firm tofu, pressed

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 medium garlic cloves, peeled

2 teaspoons mellow barley miso (replaced with soy sauce)

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (replaced with corn starch)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Make the Crust:

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, grind the nuts with a few tablespoons of the flour until finely ground. The flour will keep the nuts from turning into paste. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the remaining flour and the baking powder, and whisk to combine thoroughly.

In a small bowl, whisk the oil, soy milk, and a pinch of salt. Add to the flour mixture, stirring until the dry ingredients are completely moistened.

Press the crust into an oiled 9-inch tart pan (placing a piece of plastic wrap between your fingers and the dough will facilitate pressing). Press the last few times with your thumb around the sides where the bottom of the pan meets the side to make sure there is no excess crust there. Use a knife to cut off any excess along the top of the tart pan, then poke holes all over the crust with the tines of a fork. Bake the shell for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside. Do not turn off the oven.

Make the Mushroom Topping:

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for several minutes, then add the shoyu (soy sauce) and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms have released their juices and shrunk considerably. The pan should be almost dry. Set aside.

Make the Tofu-Leek Filling:

Warm 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium skillet. Add the leeks and sauté over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the leeks have softened. They should be only lightly browned. Set aside in a medium mixing bowl.

In a food processor, combine the tofu, the 3 remaining tablespoons of oil, the rice vinegar, garlic, miso (soy sauce), salt, and pepper to taste and process until completely smooth. It takes a good few minutes of running the food processor to change the texture from gritty to creamy. Stop the processor frequently to scrape down the sides. When the tofu is very smooth, add the arrowroot (corn starch) and rosemary and process for another 30 seconds to combine.

Add the tofu mixture to the bowl with the sautéed leeks and gently combine. Spread the filling evenly over the pre-baked crust. Evenly distribute the mushrooms across the top of the tart and press them gently into the tofu. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until the filling is firm and the crust has lightly browned.

Remove the tart from the oven and let it sit for a couple of minutes before removing the rim of the pan. Serve warm.

*Note: In the book, Kornfeld recommends serving the tart with a french lentil sauce. After trying the tart with the sauce, I think it would be best served by itself with a simple salad on the side.