Buckwheat Tart & an expression of your personality

Story and recipe Bhumika @_i__cook :

Food for Thought

“Our truest expression of ourselves come at moments in which our will is divided. At such moments, we could go either of the two ways, but the way we go sets in place some feature of ourselves- the feature that aligns with the chosen path.”- Robert Kane

Bhumika was always fascinated by artists whose canvases are plates. After a dramatic departure from the typical lifestyle of a sophomore, she was worried about throwing the rest of her life out of balance after signing up for long days at work. But to her surprise, her newly busy schedule has pushed her into the kitchen repeatedly.

She thinks there’s an additional happiness connection related to making something physical after sitting in front of a laptop all day and there’s also something to be said for the glorious mindfulness of cooking, where you can put on some music or a podcast and slip into a mild trance.

The ability to mix various ingredients and bring them together in a new and beautiful way is exciting. Having the potential to deliver such unique satisfaction to others through food provides her with a level of personal gratification incomparable to any other pursuit.

She fancies making healthier choices in every meal of the day- from having wheatgrass shots early in the morning, to making indulgent breakfast toasts & smoothies and to scrumptious porridges in dinner. It made her realize that the food you cook is an expression of your personality and there isn’t really one way of doing things.

Lately, she has been experimenting with flours- majorly gluten-free alternatives and here’s a recipe with the toasty and earthy flavour of buckwheat- perfect for a weekend brunch.

Buckwheat Tart: Recipe

Ingredients:

Crust

• 3/4 cup buckwheat flour

• ¼ cup whole wheat flour

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Filling

• ¼ cup Broccoli florets

• ¼ cup Carrot (finely chopped)

• ¼ cup Beetroot

• ¼ cup Corn

• ½ Capsicum (finely sliced)

• ¼ Sweet Potato (finely diced)

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 small yellow onion

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• Tofu (grated- as much as you like)

PREPARATION

1. To make the crust, in a food processor, add both flours and the salt and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until pea-size chunks form. Keep pulsing while adding the apple cider vinegar and then the cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stopping when the dough just barely holds together. Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle. It should be about 1/4 inch thick. Roll the dough around the rolling pin and lift it into the tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the edges and up the sides, making sure to patch up any holes. Gently roll your rolling pin across the top of the tart pan to remove the extra dough and create a clean edge. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork, lay a piece of parchment paper on top, and fill the tart shell with pie weights (I used kidney beans). Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and bake until the top looks almost dry, another 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

4. While the crust is cooling, prepare the filling. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the sweet potato, carrot and beetroot with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar and the nutmeg. Spread in an even layer and bake until the veggies begin to soften, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

5. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the garlic. When the garlic starts to sizzle a bit and becomes fragrant, add the onion, capsicum, corn, broccoli florets at last and red pepper flakes, 1tbsp of balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt. Sauté until the vegetables are cooked, about 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

6. Cover the tart shell with grated tofu. To a bowl add all the cooked vegetables and a few grinds of black pepper. Gently mix everything together and pour into the tart pan. Spread into an even layer. Scatter the grated tofu across the top to finish. Bake in the oven until the top is a bit browned, 5-10 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.

Enjoy! Happy cooking