Raw Nut & Chocolate Brownie Slice
Vegetarian
Prep & cook time: 15mins
A wholesome treat that’s also a delicious way to satisfy a chocolate craving. This recipe comes together really quickly and is a fun one to play around with.
Brownie Ingredients
150g Alison’s Pantry Select Dates
1 cup Alison’s Pantry Natural Almonds
1 cup Alison’s Pantry Pecans
12 Alison’s Pantry Brazil Nuts
1 cup Alison’s Pantry Shredded Coconut
¼ cup Alison’s Pantry Chia Seeds
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon good quality dark cocoa powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon honey
Place the dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes before draining well.
Place all the nuts, shredded coconut, chia seeds, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt into a food processor. Blitz until fine in texture. Add the dates, vanilla and honey. Process the mixture for a few minutes until very well blended. Scrape the sides occasionally as needed.
Press the mixture very firmly into a square baking dish that has been lined with baking paper. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out the top.
Place in the freezer to set. Brownie must be stored in the fridge or freezer. It will last 10 days in an airtight container in the fridge or can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Other ways to use this recipe
Add the zest of 1 orange for a delicious bright note.
Add a little mint essence for a chocolatey minty slice.
Roll teaspoonfuls of mixture into balls and then roll in shredded coconut or dust with cocoa powder. Store in the fridge or freezer.
Bake the slice for 20-25 minutes at 160 degrees celsius to create a healthy lunchbox treat.
Walnut Hummus
1/2 cup Alison’s Pantry Walnuts
1 can of chickpeas, drained
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp orange zest
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Toast the walnuts in the oven at 180 c for 8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool to room temperature.
In a food processor or blender, combine the toasted walnuts with oil and garlic then blend until smooth.
Lastly, add the lemon juice, orange zest, chickpeas, salt and pepper and continue to blend or process until smooth.
Jumbo Savoury Muffins w/ roast pumpkin and feta
Makes 6 large muffins
These are the perfect savoury addition to a festive brunch. Wholesome and packed with delicious flavour, they are wonderful with a thick spread of butter or basil and pistachio pesto.
6 free range-eggs
½ cup milk
1 garlic clove – finely diced
3/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup melted butter
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 heaped teaspoon finely diced fresh rosemary leaves
2 cups Alison’s Pantry Ground Almonds
¼ cup Alison’s Pantry Hemp Seeds
1 rounded teaspoon baking powder
80g crumbled feta
1 ½ cups roasted pumpkin cubes (roughly 300g of 4cm cubed raw pumpkin will yield this once cooked)
12 cherry tomatoes – halved
Alison’s Pantry Pumpkin Seeds and Sesame Seeds to top
Salt and cracked black pepper
Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius
Combine eggs, milk, garlic, parmesan cheese, melted butter, herbs, almond meal, hemp seeds and baking powder. Mix until thoroughly combined. Season generously. Gently fold in feta and roasted pumpkin.
Spoon into a well-greased or lined jumbo muffin tin. Place the halved cherry tomatoes on top, cut side facing up. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean when inserted.
Wait until cool before removing from the tin. Will keep for up to four days in an airtight container in the fridge. Can be enjoyed fresh or toasted under the grill.
Cooks tip: You can use a regular sized 12 hole muffin tin if you prefer. Reduce the cooking time to 20-25 minutes.
Gado Gado Inspired Platter
Build a delicious and gorgeously colourful Gado Gado inspired platter to feed a crowd and suit a range of dietary preferences on Christmas Day. The recipes below form the foundation of a platter packed with tasty and nutritious meat free options. Add lots of colourful fresh seasonal produce and barbecued seafood or meat as desired.
Satay Sauce
Quinoa, Spring Onion and Parmesan Patties
Seed and Spice Crusted Tofu
Flaxseed Crackers
Roasted lentil, walnut and cranberry loaf with vegetarian mushroom gravy
Serves 8
This rich, hearty loaf will be a hit with both vegetarians and omnivores. The vegetarian mushroom gravy is a wonderful match. This pairing is the perfect dish for your Xmas table.
2 onions – finely diced
4 large garlic cloves – finely diced
1 large carrot – grated and squeezed tightly of juice
200g firm tofu – grated
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 cup vegetable stock
½ cup Alison’s Pantry red lentils
½ cup Alison’s Pantry brown lentils
¾ cup Alison’s Pantry American walnuts – roughly chopped
½ cup Alison’s Pantry whole cranberries
2 free range eggs
¾ cup flour (use All Purpose GF flour if necessary)
Olive oil for sauteing
Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a large saute pan over a medium heat. Cook the onions, moving frequently for 10 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and carrot and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Add the tofu, dried herbs, spices and soy sauce and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stock, lentils and walnuts. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes with a lid slightly ajar. The pan should be mostly dry at the end of this time. Stir through the cranberries. Leave to cool for about 45 minutes. Add the eggs and flour and stir well.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
Spoon into a loaf tin lined with baking paper. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and cook uncovered for a further 40-45 minutes until browned and firm.
Mushroom and rosemary gravy
⅓ cup olive oil
½ brown onion – finely chopped
3 garlic cloves – finely chopped
400g Portobello or swiss brown mushrooms – sliced thinly
1 rounded teaspoon fresh rosemary – finely chopped
¼ cup flour (use all purpose GF flour if needed)
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce
Cracked black pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a pot that will be large enough to hold all the stock. Add the onions and cook for around 10 minutes until translucent and tender. Add the garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and turn the heat up slightly. Cook for another 8-10 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and glossy.
Sprinkle the flour over the top and cook for 2 minutes. Add a little more oil if the pan is dry.
Add the stock and tamari. Whisk well to avoid lumps as the gravy comes to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes until thick. Add the tamari and black pepper to taste.
At this stage you can use a stick blender to blitz until silky smooth. Serve immediately or can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat gently in a pot on the stove.
Satay sauce
A punchy satay sauce is the key to tying together all the elements of this Gado Gado platter. Using homemade peanut butter makes this particularly delicious and really satisfying to make. It can be nice to serve the sauce topped with fried shallots, sliced spring onions and a little extra chill.
½ cup peanut butter½ cup coconut cream
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 rounded teaspoon finely grated ginger
1 teaspoon brown or coconut sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Dried chilli flakes to taste
Place all the satay sauce ingredients into a bowl and mix together until completely blended. Taste and add chilli flakes as desired. Add a splash of boiling water if it’s too thick.
Homemade Peanut Butter
Making your own peanut butter is incredibly simple and very satisfying.
2 cups Alison’s Pantry roasted unsalted peanuts
Sea salt to taste
- Place the peanuts in a food processor or powerful blender. Blend until the peanut butter is silky smooth or to your preferred consistency. This will take 3-10 minutes depending on your machine and you may need to give the blender / food processor a few breaks to avoid overheating. The mixture will start as crumbs and then become gluggy. Keep going (scraping the sides as needed) and it will eventually become a smooth runny nut butter.
- Add salt to taste once completed.
- Store in an airtight jar.
Flaxseed crackers
These crackers are easy to make and will bring a major crunch to any platter. Play around with different seasonings to suit your own tastes.
¾ cup Alison’s Pantry flaxseeds
¼ cup Alison’s pantry sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon ground psyllium husk
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ¼ cups boiling water
To garnish: flaky sea salt
Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius
Place all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix until evenly combined. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Leave to sit for 5 minutes.
Pour onto a large (lined) oven tray and spread out thinly using a spatula or the back of a spoon. Keeping the spoon or spatula damp makes this easier. If you don’t have a very large oven tray, split the mixture in half and use 2 trays.
Bake for 40 minutes. Turn over the sheet of crackers after 30 mins and cook for the last 10 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt while still warm. Allow to cool completely, break into pieces and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Seed and spice crusted tofu 
Serves 4
A wonderfully tasty and visually appealing way to serve tofu. Delicious with satay sauce or a spicy mayo.
½ cup Alison’s Pantry coconut threads
¼ cup Alison’s Pantry sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon cornflour
½ teaspoon sea salt
Cracked black pepper
1 300g block firm tofu
1 free range egg for dipping
Olive oil for frying
Place coconut, seeds, spices, cornflour, salt and pepper into a food processor and blitz until a fine crumb. Cut the tofu into thick wedges and blot with a clean tea towel or paper towel. Dip in the egg and then coat well in the crumb.
Heat a generous glug of oil in a sauté pan over a medium low heat. Cook in batches until browned. Take care with the heat as the seed crumb will burn easily.
Quinoa, spring onion and parmesan patties
Makes 20 patties
These little patties are a very tasty addition to your festive table, BBQ’s and picnics. Delicious both hot and cold.
1 cup Alison’s Pantry Quinoa
2 cups vegetable stock
2 large garlic cloves – finely diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup Alison’s Pantry Ground Almonds
1 cup finely grated parmesan
2 spring onions, green parts finely sliced
Handful fresh basil, roughly chopped
1 free-range egg
Salt and cracked pepper
Olive oil for sautéing
Rinse the quinoa well. Place in a medium saucepan with the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook with a lid slightly ajar for 15 minutes until tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
Place the lid on and leave to sit for 5 minutes. Stir through the garlic, cumin, almond meal, parmesan and spring onion. Leave to cool for 15 minutes before mixing in the spring onion, basil, egg and a generous seasoning of sea salt and ground black pepper.
Form heaped spoonful’s of mixture into patties. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
Heat a generous glug of oil in a sauté pan over a medium heat. Cook the patties until golden brown on both sides. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
Walnut & Cashew Nut ‘Mince’ Tacos
Vegan (check tortillas are vegan)
Prep & cook time: 30 mins
Serves 4
This gorgeously rich and meaty (but entirely vegan) nut mince is delicious. It makes a brilliant taco filling but can also be enjoyed in a burrito bowl, tossed through pasta as a vegetarian bolognese or as a wonderful twist on mince on toast, topped with slices of avocado.
Make sure you take the time to really caramelise the carrot. This adds a wonderful depth of flavour to the finished product.
Walnut & cashew ‘mince’ tacos
1 1/2 cups Alison’s Pantry American Walnuts
1 cup Alison’s Pantry Natural Cashews
1 medium onion – finely diced
1 large garlic clove – finely diced
2 medium to large carrots – peeled and grated
1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Couple of pinches cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup water
¼ cup olive oil for sautéing
Cracked black pepper and sea salt
To serve: Soft corn tortillas, avocado, coriander and your favourite fresh salad ingredients
Place the walnuts and cashew nuts in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse and then chop finely. It’s ideal to do this in a food processor if possible so that the texture is even.
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes gently until the onion is translucent and tender. Add the carrot, turn the heat up and cook until carrot is very tender and a bit caramelised. Add the spices and oregano and cook for a further minute. Add a little more oil if the pan is too dry. Toss the chopped nuts through the spices, along with the tamari, tomato paste and water. Sauté over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
Season with cracked black pepper and some sea salt to taste.
Leftover nut mince can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Gently reheat it in a sauté pan. Add a little water as needed to loosen it.
Nut Crumbed Tofu with Speedy Noodles
Vegetarian
Prep & cook time: 5mins (Nut Crumb) | 30mins (with noodles)
Serves 4
Nut crumbed tofu is a tasty topping for a speedy noodle dish. Crumb the tofu in advance to make meal time even quicker. The tofu is also delicious in sandwiches, on top of a salad or in a burger.
Tofu Nut Crumb
½ cup Alison’s Pantry Natural Almonds
¼ cup Alison’s Pantry Shelled Pistachios
½ cup Alison’s Pantry Natural Macadamia Nuts
¼ cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 block firm tofu – cut into wedges
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 free range eggs – lightly beaten
Speedy Noodles
250grams dried rice noodles
1 brown onion – finely diced
1 large red chilli – seeds removed and finely diced
2 cloves garlic – finely diced
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger root
4 cups of chopped veges of your choice e.g. green beans, capsicum, carrot, peas
¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 spring onion – sliced
Oil for sautéing and frying
To serve: Alison’s Pantry Sesame Seeds
Place the almonds, pistachios, macadamias, tapioca flour, cumin, salt and pepper into a food processor. Blitz until a fine crumb.
Ideally, use immediately or store in an airtight container or jar for up to 1 week.
Place the tofu in a bowl and pour over the soy sauce. Make sure each piece is well seasoned with it. Drain off the excess liquid.
Place the egg in one bowl and the nut crumb in another. Coat each piece of tofu in egg and then press into the nut crumb. Repeat until you’ve crumbed all the tofu.
Heat 1 cm of oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Cook each piece of tofu until lightly golden on both sides.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles for slightly less than the packet suggests (this will stop them falling apart when tossed in the pan). Drain in a colander and run under cold water to cool completely and stop them being starchy. Set aside until ready to use.
Heat a glug of oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook onion, chilli, garlic and ginger for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the veggies and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the noodles and soy sauce, Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Toss with the sesame oil and spring onions.
Serve immediately with the crumbed tofu on top.
Alternative ways to use this recipe
Add a large handful of fresh herbs like parsley, basil or coriander to the food processor when you’re blitzing the nuts. This adds gorgeous colour and lovely freshness to the crumb. A teaspoon of dried herbs also works well.
Use the crumb on fish fillets or on top of halloumi.
Combine this nut crumb with grated cheese, finely diced garlic, a large handful of roughly chopped herbs and some baby spinach leaves. Stuff the caps of Portobello mushrooms (remove the stalk) and bake until golden.
Moroccan Hemp Quinoa Salad
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 35 mins
Serves 6
Enjoy this tasty salad alone or pair with grilled halloumi or fish. It’s perfect to take along to summer BBQs. Serve warm or at room temperature.
ingredients
1 cup Alison’s Pantry quinoa
2 cups water or vegetable stock
1 medium onion – diced
3 garlic cloves – finely diced
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ cup Alison’s Pantry hemp seeds
1 x 400g can chickpeas – drained and rinsed well
Zest of 1 lemon
2 medium carrots – peeled and cut using a julienne peeler (can also grate)
Juice of 2 lemons
6 Alison’s Pantry select dates – diced
1/3 cup Alison’s Pantry shelled pistachio nuts – roughly chopped
Large handful fresh parsley – roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Olive oil for sautéing
To serve: sliced avocado, additional hemp seeds, fresh herbs to garnish
method
Place the quinoa and water (or vegetable stock) in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook, with a lid ajar for 12-15 minutes until tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat. Place the lid on tightly and leave to sit for 5 minutes. Remove lid and set aside until ready to use.
Heat a very generous glug of oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook gently, without browning, for 5-10 minutes until tender. Add the fennel seeds, cumin, garam masala and smoked paprika. Cook for a further minute, adding additional oil if needed. Add the chickpeas and lemon. Cook for 4 minutes. Add the quinoa and the hemp seeds. Season generously with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5-10 minutes before adding the carrot, lemon juice, dates, pistachios, parsley and thyme.
Top with the avocado (if using) just prior to serving. Garnish with extra hemp seeds and fresh herbs.
Salted Caramel Hemp Smoothie
Serves 2
Wholesome but perfectly sweet and indulgent tasting, this smoothie uses the goodness of hemp seeds and the natural caramel flavour of dates to make a delicious treat.
Smoothie Ingredients
2 tablespoons Alison’s Pantry hemp seeds
2 tablespoons Alison’s Pantry chia seeds
6 Alison’s Pantry select dates
1 frozen banana – cut into chunks
2 cups coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Generous pinch or 2 ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Large handful ice
To serve: additional chopped dates, hemp seeds, cinnamon
Place all ingredients into a powerful blender and blitz until smooth. Taste and add additional sea salt to taste if needed.
Serve immediately topped with hemp seeds, chopped dates and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Sam’s Roasted Nut & Mushroom Loaf
Vegetarian friendly
Prep & cook time: 1 hour 15 mins
Serves 4-6
I’m an all-out, shameless carnivore, but this is right up my alley. The idea of a savoury nut loaf may sound a bit unorthodox but with a bit of good chutney and some salad leaves it makes for a seriously satisfying spot of lunch or dinner. Remember to season bravely – it will help to bring out the flavour of the mushrooms and all the different nuts.
Nut & Mushroom Loaf
Olive oil
1 onion, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
Small handful each of rosemary and thyme
500g portobello mushrooms, finely chopped
½ cup white wine
1 tsp Dijon mustard
80g parmesan, grated
1 cup breadcrumbs
70g Alison’s Pantry natural cashews, chopped and roasted
70g Alison’s Pantry natural almonds, chopped and roasted
70g Alison’s Pantry hazelnuts, chopped and roasted
70g Alison’s Pantry brazil nuts, chopped and roasted
70g Alison’s Pantry pecans, chopped and roasted
Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
4 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp Alison’s Pantry sesame seeds
1 tbsp Alison’s Pantry flaxseed
1 tbsp Alison’s Pantry sunflower seeds
1 tbsp Alison’s Pantry sliced natural almonds
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
In a large saucepan over a moderate heat, add a little olive oil, followed by the onion and garlic, then sauté gently for several minutes until soft and translucent. Add the herbs and chopped mushrooms and continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms are completely soft and are starting to caramelise. Add the white wine and the Dijon and let the liquid bubble up and reduce down. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
Fold in the parmesan, breadcrumbs chopped nuts and parsley, taste and season well. Fold in the beaten egg.
Transfer to a lined loaf tin and smooth off the top. Scatter the seeds over the top and bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, until it is firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean. Place some tin foil over the tin if the top is starting to darken. Allow to cool before turning out.
*You can also use 350g Alison’s Pantry Roast Unsalted Supreme Nuts in place of 70g each of the nuts.
Ideas to make more of the dish
- Crumble up the leftovers, combine with some torn-up sourdough, lemon zest and a bit of olive oil, and use as a stuffing for a roast chook – it’s just about as delicious as the original.
- Grill slices to go with poached eggs and a bit of bacon for breakfast.
Kelly’s Mushroom & Lentil Pie
Vegetarian & Vegan friendly
Prep & cook time: 70 minutes
Serves 4-6
This cosy vegan dish is my ideal comfort food. Full of gorgeous, rich flavour. It’s simple to put together and freezes well. A fantastic recipe to add to your repertoire.
Pie Filling
1 onion, diced finely
4 garlic cloves, diced finely
1 carrot medium, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped
250g portobello mushrooms, cut into cubes
2 ½ cups Alison’s Pantry quick-cook green lentils*
1 litre vegetable stock
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp slightly heaped cornflour
2 tbsp tamari
½ cup peas
¾ cup Alison’s Pantry walnuts, roughly chopped
Kumara Top
2 medium orange kumara
3 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup coconut cream (may need to add a little more to achieve a smooth mash)
¼ cup Alison’s Pantry sliced natural almonds
Olive oil for sautéing
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the dried thyme and rosemary. Cook for a further minute. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until softened and glossy.
Add the lentils, stock, water and tinned tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring regularly, until reduced.
Combine the cornflour with a small amount of water to make a paste. Add to the saucepan along with the tamari and peas. Stir well. Reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 15 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy. Add the chopped walnuts. Taste and season generously with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Remove from the heat and put aside.
Peel and chop the kumara into cubes. Steam until very tender. Mash with the olive oil and coconut cream until smooth. Season to taste.
Preheat oven to 180° Celsius
Pour lentil and mushroom mix into an ovenproof casserole dish (you can make one large pie or several smaller ones). Top with the mashed kumara and scatter the sliced almonds on top. Bake for 20 minutes until crisp on top.
Note: If you are not using the Alison’s Pantry Quick-Cook Green Lentils, you can achieve the same result by using 2 cups of Alison’s Pantry Brown Lentils. Increase the amount of stock to 6 cups and increase the simmer time by 20 minutes.
Ideas to make more of the dish
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The cooked lentils can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- The lentils and mushrooms make an incredibly delicious vegetarian ‘mince’ on toast.
- Use the lentils as a tasty filling in a vegetarian lasagna or moussaka.
- Create a more decadent pie topping by replacing the kumara mash with a sheet of good quality store-bought puff pastry. Bake until golden brown.
Sam’s Pumpkin & Leek Pie
Vegetarian friendly
Prep & cook time: 1 hour 10min
Serves 4
Because who doesn’t love a good pie? Hot water pastry is one of those things that seems like it shouldn’t work but it always does – it’s absolutely fool-proof.
Make sure you give the cashews a quick toast making sure they are a nice golden brown so that they’re all lovely and crunchy for the end result. You can, of course, add whatever you like to this – some sautéed spinach, cooked chickpeas, lentils, or whatever you prefer – just change the ingredients as you see fit.
Hot Water Pastry
2 tsp sea salt
220g butter
260ml water
480g high grade (strong) white flour
1 tbsp Alison’s Pantry pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp Alison’s Pantry sesame seeds
Pie Filling
1 butternut pumpkin, peeled, cored and diced into 2-3cm chunks
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Several sprigs of rosemary
1 leek, finely sliced and washed
¼ cup dry white wine
1 ½ cup (225g) Alison’s Pantry roast unsalted cashews
1 cup Alison’s Pantry quick-cook green lentils*, cooked and drained
1 tbsp butter, to grease the pan
1 egg, lightly beaten, to brush the pastry
Combine the salt, half of the butter and the water together in a small saucepan over a moderate heat, until the butter has melted into the water.
In the meantime, pulse the remaining 110g of butter with the flour and the seeds in a food processor until well combined and the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Gradually pour the melted butter and water mixture into the flour, pulsing as you go, until you are left with a smooth, soft ball of dough. Taste a wee bit of it to see if you need to add any more salt; there is nothing worse than underseasoned pastry.
Remove from the food processor, wrap up tightly with cling film, and leave to rest in the fridge for at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Place the pumpkin in a roasting tray, toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and the rosemary, and roast for 20-25 minutes until tender, but not too soft that it is mushy. Remove and allow to cool.
In the meantime, in a pan over medium heat, add a little olive oil and allow to heat up before following with the sliced leek. Cook gently for 5 to 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the white wine and allow to it to bubble up and reduce a little. Remove from heat, add the cooked green lentils and roasted cashews, mix through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Grease a round, square or rectangular pie dish, or alternatively, a tart tin. A ceramic dish is also perfectly fine. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry and use to line the dish, and then layer in the cooked pumpkin and the chickpea mixture. Top with the remaining rolled-out pastry, seal and crimp the edges, brush with a little beaten egg and poke a couple of holes in the top so that steam can escape.
Pop in the preheated oven to bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is cooked and golden brown. Allow to cool a little before serving.
*Cooking notes
Quick-cook green lentils – add 1 cup lentils to 1 cup boiling water. Cook with lid on 2 minutes, remove from heat and stand for 2 minutes.
Alternative legume:
Brown Lentils – add 1/3 cup lentils and 1 cup of water to a pot and bring to the boil, with lid on, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender.