Lentil, Tomato and Aronia Flan
Make the pastry dough before you start to prepare the lentil filling so that it has time to chill in the refrigerator before being rolled out.
Preparation and cooking time: 1 hour | Calories per portion: 426
Serves 4
For the pastry dough
250g/9oz/scant 2 cups plain/all-purpose flour
½ tsp sea salt
125g/4½oz cold vegetable margarine, diced, plus extra for greasing
For the filling
125g/4½oz/²/³ cup dried red lentils, rinsed
1 tbsp olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
½ tsp turmeric
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
2 tbsp tomato purée/paste
1 tbsp sugar
150g/5½oz aronia berries
8 cherry tomatoes, sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the margarine by chopping it into the flour with a knife and spoon until it forms small lumps. Continue to rub the fat into the flour with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add about 70ml/2¼fl oz/¼ cup cold water to make a soft dough. Roll into a ball, wrap in cling film/plastic wrap and leave to chill in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 and grease a 22cm/8½in round baking pan. Put the lentils into a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to low and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes. In another saucepan, gently heat the oil and sauté the shallots for 2 minutes over a medium-high heat. Add the spices, then the yellow pepper and heat through. Using a slotted spoon, add the lentils, then pour over enough of their cooking liquid to cover. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and add the tomato purée/paste, sugar and aronia berries. Leave to simmer gently while you roll out the dough to fit the prepared pan. Gently press the dough into the pan.
Season the filling to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to the pastry case/pie shell, smooth the top and decorate with the cherry tomato slices. Bake in the middle of the oven for 25–30 minutes until golden, then serve.
Serve with a green salad or steamed green vegetables.
Tip: You can use whole blackcurrants or blueberries instead of aronia berries.
NUTRITION PROFILE (per portion)
13% protein, 35% fat, 47% carbohydrate, 5% fibre
VITAMINS AND MINERALS (percentage of RDA)
Vitamin A 34%, E 25%, C 53%, B1 35%, B2 10%, B3 25%, B5 14%, B6 39%, folate 29%, biotin 8%, potassium 31%, calcium 7%, magnesium 34%, iron 34%, zinc 25%, copper 42%, manganese 81%, selenium 9%, iodine 1%
HEALTH BENEFITS
Boosts metabolism | protects heart and circulation | helps lower cholesterol | can help relieve problems associated with diabetes