Easy dumplings you can throw in a blender and gently poach in a dreamy tomato sauce, made with cherry tomatoes simmered until soft and saucey with lots of added basil. Topped with buttery pine nuts and tahini makes a beautiful and nutritious dinner.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
200g baby spinach
Handful of fresh basil leaves
60g coconut yoghurt
50ml olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
200g chickpea flour
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1 shallot, finely sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
½ tsp alleppo pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
300g cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 tbsp tahini
1 lemon, juiced
Basil leaves to serve
Pine nuts, toasted to serve
METHOD
1. In a food processor, break down the spinach, basil until finely chopped. Add the yoghurt, olive oil and lemon until a paste forms. Transfer to a bowl, add a pinch of salt and pepper and stir in the chickpea flour until all incorporated and you have a thick sticky dough. Roll into 16 tbsp size balls and place on a lined tray in the fridge to firm up.
2. Heat a large pan and add the olive oil and butter to melt. Add the shallots, garlic, chilli and spices and cook for 5 mins until lithe shallots have softened and everything starts to caramelise. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 5 mins until starting to break down and release their juices. Add 150ml water and bring to a simmer for 5 mins. Place the dumplings into the sauce and cover the pan with a lid. After 5 minutes, flip over the dumplings, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. The dumplings should be cooked through and firm to touch.
3. Whisk together the tahini, lemon juice and 3-5 tbsp water until smooth and runny. Serve the dumplings with the tomato sauce, drizzle over the tahini and serve with toasted pine nuts and extra basil.
