Raw Sun Dried Tomato, Basil, and Olive Tart

When recipes like this one exist, it’s hard not to be dazzled by the possibilities of raw food cuisine. This sun dried tomato, basil, and olive tart offers an absolute explosion of savory flavors. If you are looking for a good raw vegan alternative to quiche, this will definitely satisfy the craving. Wonderfully creamy, with a subtly spiced crust, and bits of basil, sun-dried tomatoes and black Cerignola olives spread all throughout. 100% yumminess!

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 1/2 cups almonds – soaked overnight
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 cup ground golden flax seeds
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2-3 tablespoons purified water
• 5 tablespoons za’atar spice

Filling

• 2 cups fresh young Thai coconut meat
• 1 cup water of fresh young Thai coconut
• 3/4 cup coconut oil – gently warmed in warm water or the dehydrator to soften
• 1/4 cup Irish moss – washed thoroughly and soaked in hot water for at least 10 minutes
• 1 cup each raw macadamia and raw cashew nuts – soaked for 2-4 hours
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1-2 teaspoons salt
• about 6 tablespoons purified water
• 1 cup of chopped olives of your favourite kind (may I suggest Cerignola olives that come with pits and taste velvety)
• 1 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes (this time I made an exception and used tomatoes preserved in olive oil instead of the dry variety)
• 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves – or more to taste
• fresh red and yellow tomatoes for garnishing – optional

Instructions

For the crust

1. Mix all the crust ingredients in a food processor until smooth, adding more water if needed. Press the dough into your tart shells, preferably with removable bottoms. Distribute the dough evenly against the sides and bottom of the shell.
2. Place the tart shell(s) in the dehydrator for 4-5 hours.
3. Gently remove the shell from the mold, and put it back onto a screen-lined dehydrator tray. Dehydrate for another 8-10 hours until completely dry and crispy.

For the filling

1. In a high speed blender, combine the coconut meat, water and oil with the Irish moss until very smooth.
2. In a food processor, mix together the nuts, lemon juice, yeast, salt and water until well combined and fluffy like ricotta cheese. Add the basil leaves and pulse briefly.
3. In a large mixing bowl, gently fold the coconut mixture into the nut “ricotta”, followed by the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and olives.
4. Pour the filling into the crusts. Dehydrate at 115F for 6 hours, then refrigerate overnight.
5. Optionally, slice fresh tomatoes thinly and dehydrate on Teflex-lined dehydrator trays just to dry the surface. Garnish the tarts, placing the tomatoes dry side down for the last 1-2 hours of tart dehydration.