Tart for T' Art Recipes

You have now been offically sworn in to noble vegan status. With this honor you will uphold the sacred details and be willing to defend all types of vegan t'ART's . Go forth now into your kitchen and cook.

RUSTIC ITALIAN STYLE PUMPKIN

and CHARD T' ART BATTLE PLAN

Fear not. Pictures appear on my main blog page THE BAKEHOUSE (click to link)

SPELT PASTRY CRUST
(double this recipe for the large tart like I made)
1 Cup plus 1 Tbsp spelt flour
3/4 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 Cup ice cold water
Combine the spelt flour and salt, cut in olive oil with a fork. Add the ice water... gently mix until a ball forms (do not over mix or knead). Let sit for 5 - 10 minutes. Roll out to 1/4" thick between two 14" x 12 " peices of unbleached parchiment paper. Remove one side of thepaper, place uncovered side of crust in a 14" round dish tart pan (or pizza sheet) and remove the back paper.

TART FILLING (1/2 this recipe if you make a single tart crust recipe):
Steam about 4 cups of diced pumpkin (discard skin and stringy innards, but keep seeds if you desire to roast them) or use a microwave veggie cooker using the 2nd potato quick cook setting (about 6 minutes). On the stove top saute onions and 3 Tbsp garlic in 1 Tbsp olive oil until softened and lightly browned. Add the cooked pumpkin and shredded chard leaves (about 6 cups) with 6 Tbsp parmesan alternative (recipe below) , 2 Tbsp cider vinegar, and 1/2 tsp sea salt. Cook until chard wilts, no need to cook longer because they will finish cooking in the oven.

BRYANNA’S WALNUT PARMESAN ALTERNATIVE
Makes about 1 and 1/2 c.
(wheat-free and can be soy-free)
If you have a soy allergy, or you have a hard time locating Galaxy/Soyco’s delicious Soymage vegan soy parmesan substitute, this is an easy and tasty alternative, either as a topping, or particularly as an ingredient in certain recipes. This is just about the right amount to fit into two of those little shaker bottles, but you can easily double, triple or quadruple the recipe and keep it refrigerated or frozen. It was inspired by the commercial product called “Parma” and is a variation on my "Almonzano" recipe from "Nonna's Italian Kitchen".
Use a food processor or mini-chopper or spice mill for this recipe, rather than a blender.
1 c. chopped raw walnuts
4 T. nutritional yeast flakes
2tsp. light soy or chickpea miso
1/2 tsp. salt
Process the ingredients until as fine as possible. Stir to get rid of any lumps. Place in a covered container or shaker and keep refrigerated.

Tart Assembly:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Place filling in center of tart crust leaving 3" edge and bring up the edge around the filling to make a free form style pie, pleat the edges over the filling to make it pretty and a nice round center of open filling shows. Cover the open filling with foil. Bake tart for 45 minutes (if doubling the crust recipe and using the amount of filling I list here). 30 minutes if using a single crust recipe and halving the filling recipe. Cut into wedges and serve with a favorite white bean/ garlicy OR a good Italian style tomato soup.

STRAWBERRY LEMON CRUNCH CAKE

Pictures of this cake and other information will be found on my main blog.
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BRYANNA’S STRAWBERRY LEMON CRUNCH CAKE
Serves 8-12
This was one of the first vegan cakes I made, but I’ve modified it further. It’s a lovely presentation.
The Lemon Genoise Cake:
DRY INGREDIENTS:
2 c. plus 2 T. white unbleached pastry or cake flour
1/2 c. ground lightly-toasted blanched almonds
1 and 1/2 c. light or white granulated vegan sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
WET INGREDIENTS:
1/4 c. plus 2 T. Earth Balance
1 c. water
3/4 c. soy or rice milk
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 T. vanilla
grated zest of one organic lemon

The Lemon Crème Frosting:
3/4 c. nondairy milk
¼ c. fresh lemon juice
6 T. white unbleached flour
6 T. Margarine Earth Balance OR non-hydrogenated shortening (Spectrum) OR solid coconut oil OR a combination
1 c. white or very light granulated vegan sugar
grated zest of one organic lemon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
The Garnish:
2 c. lightly-toasted sliced almonds
4 c. fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled, patted dry and halved lengthwise (try to use berries that are of similar size, if you can)

To make the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk in a large mixing bowl. Add the margarine and the water and beat with an electric mixer for a minute. Add the remaining ingredients and beat one more minute. Divide equally between two 9" greased and floured round cake pans lined with cooking parchment. Bake 25 minutes, or until cakes test done. Cool on racks for 5 minutes, then loosen cakes and remove from pans to finish cooling (remove parchment).

To make the Frosting:
Whisk milk, lemon juice into flour in small saucepan until smooth. Heat and stir until it boils and thickens. Cool thoroughly (place in a small bowl inside of a larger bowl of cold water).
With an electric mixer beat the margarine, shortening or coconut oil, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt until light and fluffy—- several minutes. Beat in the cooled flour paste with the electric beaters and mix until smooth and fluffy. IMPORTANT! Chill thoroughly before frosting. Use to frost any cooled cake. IMPORTANT! Keep the frosted cake refrigerated until serving time.

To assemble the cake:
Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spread evenly with some of the frosting. Place the other layer on top. Swirl the frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Pat the toasted sliced almonds all around the sides and just over the top edge so that they stick to the frosting . Overlap the strawberries in an artistic design, cut side down, on the top of the cake. Chill before serving.