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Roasted tomato tart with sesame, white miso sauce, basil, red onion, and mixed greens

A rich treat for brunch that’s not too decadent. Pictured here, the greens include baby bok choy leaves, red and green chard, baby kale and other greens.

For the tart

2 1/4 cups of hard wheat flour
1 cup of warm water*
1T of yeast
1t of sugar**
1/4t of coarse sea salt
1T of olive oil for the dough
3T of olive oil for the tart

For the white miso, sesame sauce

1 1/4 cup of unsweetened soy milk
1 cup of quick rolled oats
2T of sesame seed butter
1T of white miso
1T of garlic, minced
1t of white vinegar
1/4 cup of packed fresh basil leaves, minced
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the onions, tomatoes and greens

1 small red onion, peeled and sliced very thinly in rounds (aim for 1/8″ if you can)
2 medium tomatoes, sliced thinly (aim for 1/4″)
3 cups of mixed baby greens
2T of nutritional yeast
1T of olive oil for the tomatoes and onions
1T of olive oil for the greens
1t of lemon juice
Several pinches of coarse sea salt
Sea salt, nutritional yeast and black pepper to taste

Directions

Make the dough, and once it has rise, the sauce, assemble the tart, and then add the greens at the end.

Mix the water, yeast and sugar together.
When the yeast proofs, add the olive oil and sea salt and whisk.
Add the mixture to the dough and mix thoroughly until the dough forms.
Knead for 5-10 minutes.
Let the dough rise for 2 hours in a lightly oiled bowl cover with a warm, wet towel.
Punch the dough down periodically.
When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 350F.
Oil a 9″x13″ baking dish with 2T oil.
Roll the dough out on a floured board.
Add the dough to the dish evenly, pinching up the crust about 1″ at the sides.
Brush the dough (paying particular attention to the sides) with the remaining 1T of oil.
Bring the soy milk to a soft boil on medium.
Add the oats and cook on low until soft.
Puree the remaining ingredients except for the basil with the oats until smooth.
Season to taste.
Add the sauce to the tart.
Sprinkle with the basil.
Layer the onions on top of the sauce evenly.
Layer the tomatoes on top of the onions evenly.
Sprinkle with a pinch of coarse sea salt and the nutritional yeast.
Turn the tomatoes over.
Sprinkle with a pinch of coarse sea salt and drizzle with 1T of olive oil.
Bake at 350F for 35-45 minutes on the middle rack until the tart is browning and the tomatoes are wilted.
Toss the greens in 1T of olive oil and 1T of lemon juice with 1/4t of coarse sea salt.
Add the greens, increase the heat to 450F and bake for another 7-10 minutes until the greens are well wilted and starting to brown lightly.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 – 15 minutes.
Slice and serve.

*Follow the temperature instructions for your yeast. If you don’t have a cooking thermometer, you can always proof your yeast first.

*If you use a rapid rising yeast, you shouldn’t need the sugar. Be careful to use a sugar that hasn’t been refined using animal bone charcoal.

Black lentil mezzaluna in a sesame white sauce with oyster mushrooms and kale

Similar to pierogi, mezzaluna are a lovely and decorative pasta, filled here with a lightly spicy combination of black beluga lentils, poblano peppers and Brussels sprouts, served in and a rich sauce of white miso, sesame seed butter and oyster mushrooms. This makes an appetizer portion for 4 or large plate for 2.

Ingredients

For the filling
1/4 cups black lentils
2/3 cups water
1 ‘sprig’ dried kombu (about 1/2″)
1T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
1 scallion, minced (3″ – 4″ green reserved for garnish)
1/4 cup poblano pepper, chopped finely
2 Brussels sprouts (about 1/4 cup scant), minced (or green cabbage)
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste
For the dough
1 cup semolina flour
A pinch sea salt
1/3 cup water
1t olive oil
2 liters water and 2t coarse sea salt for boiling
For the sauce
1T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/2t dried basil, rubbed
1/4t dried oregano, rubbed
1T fresh garlic, minced
1/4 cup oyster mushroom, wiped and finely chopped
1/2T lemon juice
1 cup unsweetened plant milk
1T sesame seed butter (I use a fairly traded brand)
1 cup green curly kale, finely chopped
1T arrowroot flour dissolved in 1T cold water
1/2T white miso
2T nutritional yeast
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

Optional: Replace the Brussel sprouts with sun-dried tomatoes for something slightly more flavourful.

Method

Start the filling first, then the pasta, then the sauce. In a small pan with a lid, bring the water to a boil. Add the lentils. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 30-40 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the lentils are tender. When the lentils are done, remove the kombu, rinse the lentils and set aside.

While the lentils simmer, make the pasta dough. Mix the flour and salt. Mix the water and oil. Mix the wet and the dry. The dough may seem too dry initially. Keep mixing, and then knead until as a smooth elastic dough forms, and then another 2-3 minutes. Cover with a warm wet tea towel and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes.

When the lentils are ready, in a medium frying pan, bring the oil to eat on medium high. Add the cooking oil and sea salt. Add the scallion. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the pepper and Brussels sprouts and saute for 5 minutes. Add the lentils and stir to combine. Remove from heat. Set aside covered to cool.

Roll out the dough on a floured board in a large rectangle about 1/10″ thin. Cut small circles about 2 1/2″ round. Bunch up leftover dough, roll out and cut. Repeat until all of the dough has been used. Aim for 16 circles.

When the dough has been cut, add a heaping tablespoon of filling to each in an oblong shape in the middle. Carefully pinch closed, starting with the top, one side, and then the other. Squeeze out any excess air. Crimp both sides of the seam with a fork. Let sit to dry lightly while you make the sauce.

In a large pan with a lid, bring the cooking oil and sea salt to heat with the sea salt on medium high. Add the green herbs and saute for 1 minute. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the oyster mushrooms and saute for 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and deglaze the pan. Add the soy milk. Bring the pan to a light simmer. Add the sesame seed butter and stir to dissolve. Simmer lightly, stirring occasionally while you finish the pasta.

In a large pot, bring the 2 liters water to a boil with the sea salt. Add the mezzaluna carefully to the water and boil lightly until they float (should be 3-5 minutes). They’ll float when done. Don’t overcook. Drain them carefully in a colander, reserving 2T of the pasta water. Rinse the pasta gently with cool water.

Add the pasta water and the kale to the sauce and stir to combine. Simmer another 2 minutes. Stirring continuously, add the arrowroot mixture until it thickens. Remove from heat. Add the white miso and stir until dissolved. Rinse the mezzaluna with hot water, drain and add them to the sauce. Stir gently to coat. Let stand 2-3 minutes to cool. Season to taste.

When lightly cooled, plate the mezzaluna and pour sauce over them. Add the scallion greens sliced on an angle. Dust with nutritional yeast, and serve.