Spinach and Leek Tart

Here’s a recipe that tics just so many boxes for me.  It’s delicious, goes together with ease and in advance (a big win), is gluten-free, vegan, and my favorite is that it can be customized to the handful of veggies hanging out in your fridge.

I was gifted with a Texas sized leek upon my return from France and it played the staring role along with a bunch and a half of garden fresh spinach.

Tart Crust

• 1/2 cup (140 grams) superfine brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup (70 grams) buckwheat flour
• 1/4 cup (70 grams) almond flour
• 2 Tbs (20 grams) potato starch
• 2 Tbs (20 grams) tapioca starch
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, cold and diced
• Tart pan with a removable bottom.

Place dry ingredients in the food processor and pulse a couple of times to combine. Add the cold, diced butter and pulse 10 times until the butter is cut into the flours. Add the ice wate  a bit at a time while pulsing. The dough should stick together when pressed but not be too wet. Check it often as you might not need it all of the water.

Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in parchment paper and flatten it a bit with your hand. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Roll out the dough to about 1/4″-1/8″ thickness.

Fill the tart pan with the crust, pinching it back together if it breaks apart. Return the tart pan to the refrigerator for another 20 minutes or so while preparing the filling.

Vegetables

• 1 large or 2-3 small leeks, cleaned and finely chopped
• A bunch or two of fresh spinach cleaned and finely chopped.
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Filling

• 1 cup soaked cashews (soak for 1 hour  or more in hot water)
• ¼ cup water
• 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Herbes de Provence or mixed herbs of choice
• 1 tbs. dijon mustard
• 1 can organic Chickpeas drained

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Place crust in heated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Set it aside to cool. 
3. In heavy skillet over medium heat warm olive oil and gently saute chopped leeks.  Take care not to burn the edges. 
4. When leeks are translucent and softened sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and lay spinach on top.  
5. Cover pan and lowe the heat to allow the spinach to wilt.  
6. Once wilted, remove from heat, and set aside to prepare the filling. 
7. Place all filling ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
8. Taste and adjust seasonings. Consider adding more nutritional yeast or herbs. 
9. Spoon leeks into prebaked crust, and cover with filling. Level out with a spoon. and place spinach on top, pressing in slightly.
10. Drizzle with a little olive oil, more herbs and sprinkle of sea salt
11. Return to the tart to oven and bake for 30 minutes (until the base is crispy and the filling has firmed up and is golden brown). 
12. Allow to cool before removing the pan.
13. Tart will hold shape best when served at room temperature and keeps well for up to 36 hours.  

Enjoy!