Vegetarian Cuisine

PUMPKIN TART  – This vegan version of pumpkin pie is a favourite at the New York Sivananda Centre’s Thanksgiving dinner in November each year. Makes 2 – 8” pies.

Ingredients for filling

1 medium pumpkin
7½ tablespoons maple syrup
4 ounces silken tofu
¼ tsp sea salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
A pinch of ground cloves
1 tbsp soy flour

Ingredients for pastry

2½ cups whole wheat pastry dough
1 tsp sea salt
4 tbsp wheat germ or sesame seeds
⅔ cup + 2 tsp corn or grape seed oil
7 tbsp chilled sparkling mineral water

Preparation

Heat over to 375F.
Make the filling first by cutting the pumpkin into eighths, remove the seeds and stringy bits. Place the pumpkin on a baking tray, cover with foil and bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes, until soft.
Make the dough. Sift in the flour and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the wheat germ/sesame seeds. Blend in the oil until the pieces are the size of peas. Add the water, 1 tbsp as a time, until the mixture is moist. Knead just enough to hold the dough together. Divide the dough in half and roll into 2 balls, wrap in wax paper and chill for 30 minutes.
Remove the pumpkin from the oven, peel it and puree in a food processor or blender. Add the maple syrup and tofu and blend until smooth. Add the salt, spices and soy flour. Mix well.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Use this dough to line 8-inch tart pans with removable bottoms. Prick the pastry with a fork.
Bake the pastry in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Increase oven temp to 425F. Pour equal amounts of pumpkin filling into each pastry shell. Bake for 45 minutes until the filling has set.

The Absolute and the state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi cannot be defined or explained in words. Our language is imperfect and finite. – Sri Swami Sivananda