Eating is undoubtedly sensual pleasure, not just basic physiological process. We are eating not only to fill our stomach. We taste, smell, see…. Whole body is affected by eating process, but the most important part is as always in our brain. Brain is the place when taste is created, aroma is remembered and favourites childhood dishes are connected with certain emotions.
Cause eating is mostly an emotional process. Hunger is a very strong stimulant. Of course primary reason for being hungry is to survive. But alongside with evolution of humans, eating become more and more significant element in people lives. it’s important in social life, making bounds. Nowadays eating is a culture, even some kind of art. And there’s nothing surprising in it. Cause eating make us happy. Basic physiology, but not always. It’s important what we eat and it’s nutritional values. We want to eat tasty, but also healthy food. And we want to eat beautiful looking dishes. Smell, taste, look, nutrition, company- it all matters.
For me the best visual sensation is given by phyllo pastry tarts with figs. I don’t know why, but those rustic looking mini tarts are what my eyes enjoy the most. Especially when ingredients inside are well exposed. Filo pastry with figs, kale and tofu is the perfect example of such dish. Addition of sun-dried tomatoes and balsamic vinegar gives this dish even more rustic features. And perfect closer with almond butter sauce. Good balance between crunchy filo pastry, fresh figs, delicate kale leaves and rich almond sauce. Autumn on the plate. Pure perfection.
Phyllo pastry with figs
kale and tofu
Ingredients:
3 large or 6 small tarts
6 sheets of phyllo(filo) pastry
oil from sun-dried tomatoes
180g tofu
6 tbsp vegetable milk
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
juice from ¼ lemon
granulated garlic
salt
pepper
3 fresh figs
50g sun-dried tomatoes
3 handfuls of kale (180g)
Sauce:
4 tbsp roasted almond butter
10-12 tbsp water*
salt
hot sauce like sriracha for serving
*just enough to make sauce like consistency
1. Wash and chop kale into small pieces. In a large pot bring water to a boil. Put kale into boiling water for half a minute. Then put it in cold water. Strain. Sprinkle with few drops of oil and mix well. Sprinkle with salt. Chop tomatoes finely. Cut figs in quarters and then each quarter into half.
2. Drain off tofu. Wrap tofu in a paper towel and put sth heavy on it, like 1 kg of flour. Leave it for 10 minutes. Unwrap tofu. Thanks to wrapping process tofu will be drained off and absorbs other tastes better. Mash tofu with vinegar, lemon juice and milk. Season with garlic, salt and pepper. Add chopped tomatoes.
3. Depending on size of tart (small or big- on the pics), cut the phyllo pastry into halves or quarters. Grease with oil form sun-dried tomatoes first sheet of phyllo. Lay the second sheet on it and grease it. Repeat with the third and fourth. On fourth sheet put kale, then tofu with tomatoes and finally figs. Fold the edges- first the long ones, then the shorter. Repeat with other 2 or 5 tarts.
4. Bake in 180C for 6-8 minutes, until the filo pastry is golden. In the meantime make sauce by mixing roasted almond butter with water and salt. Sprinkle the sauce over baked tarts.
Nutrition info:
1 small tart:
273 calories
proteins: 6,7 g; fats: 14,6 g; carbohydrates: 26,8 g, dietary fiber: 2,8g;
iron: 3 mg; calcium: 158 mg; zinc: 1 mg
