Vegan Asparagus and Pesto Cashew Cheese Tart with Lemon Arugula
Ingredients
- 2 sheets vegan puff pastry
- 349 g silken tofu, drained (do not use other varieties)
- 1/2 cup cashews, soaked
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp shiro or light miso
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp vegan basil pesto
- 2 lbs fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed (about 2 bunches)
- 1 1/2 tsp everything bagel spice
- 4 cups arugula
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- dried chili flakes
- coarse salt
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
In a high-speed blender or a food processor, blend the tofu, cashews, nutritional yeast, miso, and thyme until smooth
On a lightly floured surface, roll out each sheet of puff pastry to about 1/4″ thick. Place each pastry on prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, score a 1″ border on the puff pastry. Brush the border of each sheet with olive oil
Spread 2 tbsp of pesto on each sheet of pastry, leaving the pesto off the borders. Gently spread about 3/4 cup of the tofu-cashew mixture over the pesto. Place the asparagus over the tofu-cashew mixture, alternating tips to bases. Sprinkle 3/4 tsp of the Everything Bagel spice over the borders of each tart. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until dark golden. For best and even baking results, bake the tarts separately, keeping one in the fridge until baking
Toss the arugula with the olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest
To serve, place half the arugula over each tart and sprinkle with coarse salt, pepper, and dried chili flakes as desired