Yellow Sweet Potato Chickpea Pie with Basil
This pie is somewhat like a quiche in appearance, yet offering a unique flavour and texture. The sweet potatoes and chickpeas work as the base for the pie, giving both body and flavor, along with seasonings and herbs, including fresh basil.
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoon water to saute
- 1 - 1 1/4 cups diced onion
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced minced
- 1/2 tsp scant sea salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1 3⁄4 cup)
- 1 cup cooked yellow-fleshed sweet potato (skins removed) see note
- 1/4 cup chickpea flour
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon turmeric optional, for color
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil
- 2-3 tablespoons pine nuts for sprinkling (optional; slivered almonds are also nice)
- 1 9-inchprepared whole wheat pastry crust, thawed (or other crust of choice) (optional, see note)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. In a skillet over medium heat, combine the water or oil oil, onion, garlic, 1⁄2 (scant) teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Cook for 9 to 12 minutes, until the onion has softened and becoming golden (reduce heat if needed, to prevent garlic from burning). Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine all the remaining ingredients, including the remaining 3⁄4 teaspoon of salt, except the basil and pine nuts (and pie shell!). Puree until very smooth. Once the onion mixture is cooked, add it to the food processor and puree again until smooth. Add the basil and puree fairly well, but leave a little more unprocessed with green flecks. Transfer to the pie shell, scraping out all of mixture. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 375°F, sprinkle on the pine nuts, and bake for 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Sweet Potato Note: I cook the sweet potato in advance by baking it whole in the oven. Simply scrub the potato, leaving the peel intact, and place on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Bake at in a preheated 400°F oven for about 45 to 60 minutes, until tender throughout (time depends on size of the potato). The first couple of wedges of pie will be the trickiest to cut and serve; the pie is much easier to slice and remove from the pie plate after it has been allowed to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. You can use orange sweet potato if you cannot find yellow, just the color of the pie will change (and you can omit the turmeric).
- Savvy Subs and Adds You can use cannellini beans or other white beans in place of the chickpeas. The pie will be a touch looser with white beans, as chickpeas are firmer, but still great!
- Serving Suggestions: Serve the pie with a fresh salad, and another vegetable such as Simplicity Asparagus or steamed broccoli. A side of long-grain brown rice or roasted potatoes is also good, and the pie can be topped with a sauce or gravy of choice, such as Smoky Spiked Tahini Sauce or Rosemary Gravy from LTEV, or my "Homestyle Gravy" from Plant-Powered Families, page 109.
- Pie Shell Note: If you want to make the tart without the crust, simply prepare the pie plate with a spray of oil (or wipe), and then bake for about 5 minutes less.