Eggplant, chickpea & pomegranate tart

Organisation: The Australian Women’s Weekly Food

Cooking time: 45min

Serves: 6

Type of recipe: lunch, vegetarian

Recipe

This delicious vegetarian tart features a chickpea pastry base made from chickpeas, quinoa flakes, corn flakes, egg, and flaxmeal. The filling includes roasted eggplant, red onion, and spiced tofu, all baked until golden. Once cooled, the tart is topped with a refreshing minty yoghurt sauce, fresh rocket, and pomegranate seeds. It’s a healthy, high-protein dish perfect for a light meal or entertaining.

Ingredients

extra virgin olive oil spray
1 medium eggplant (300g), cut into 2cm (¾in) pieces
1 large red onion (300g), cut into thin wedges
300g (9½oz) five-spice firm tofu, cut into 4cm (1½in) pieces
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
300g (9½oz) high protein natural yoghurt
½ cup mint leaves, chopped finely
60g (2oz) baby rocket (arugula)
⅓ cup (50g) pomegranate seeds

Chickpea pastry

400g (121/2oz) can salt-reduced chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
1 cup (40g) Corn Flakes
½ cup (40g) quinoa flakes
1 egg
2 tablespoons linseed meal (flaxmeal)

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Spray a 22cm (8¾in) loose-based, fluted tart tin with oil spray.
Make chickpea pastry. Using slightly damp hands, press the dough evenly into the base and side of the tin.
Line a large baking tray with baking paper. In a large bowl combine eggplant, onion, tofu, cumin and oil; toss gently to combine, season with pepper. Spread onto lined tray. Place on top shelf of oven. Place tart case on bottom shelf. Bake for 30 minutes, or until tart shell is crisp and eggplant and onion are golden and soft, turning eggplant halfway through cooking time. Cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, combine yoghurt and mint in a small bowl; season with pepper.
Spread tart base evenly with yoghurt mixture; top with combined eggplant mixture and rocket. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds to serve.

Chickpea pastry:

In a food processor, pulse ingredients until a soft dough forms.