Vegan Focaccia Sandwiches with 'Brie', Pesto and Tomato

Baked vegan 'brie' made of cashews and miso paste, vibrant and zesty basil almond pesto, and fresh sliced tomatoes are sandwiched between slices of focaccia to make these delicious sandwiches. The focaccia and the brie requires some prep a day ahead.


Serves: about 24 small sandwiches.

Recipe:

Ingredients:
  • 1 large loaf of focaccia: I used this recipe and it turned out great! It requires an overnight proof in the fridge so be sure to plan ahead for this.
  • Ripe vine tomatoes, sliced
For the 'brie':
  • 300g cashews, soaked overnight
  • 2-3 tbsp lemon juice (to taste)
  • 3-4 tbsp nutritional yeast (to taste)
  • 100g white miso paste
  • 1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)
  • 240ml vegetable stock
  • 1/2 tbsp tapioca starch
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
For the pesto:
  • 60g fresh basil, washed (include the stems)
  • small handful fresh mint leaves (optional- but recommended)
  • 20g toasted almonds
  • 2 small garlic cloves, minced
  • 20ml lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • a couple tbsp olive oil
  • a couple tbsp water 
Method:
To make the brie: 
  1. Preheat the oven to 200C
  2. Blend all of the brie ingredients together in a high-speed blender for a couple of minutes, until completely smooth.
  3. Transfer the mixture into a small saucepan and heat over a medium heat, stirring constantly with a heat-proof spatula, until the mixture has thickened and is stringy. 
  4. Line a four oven-safe ramekin dishes with parchment paper. Divide the heated mixture between them evenly, and smooth over the top. Place the ramekins on a baking tray.
  5. Bake the brie for about 25-30 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. 
  6. Remove from the oven and let cool before removing from the ramekins to slice up. 
To make the pesto: 
  1. Blend all of the ingredients together to make a thick pesto. Set aside. 
To assemble:
  1. Slice the focaccia into 24 equal sized squares, then cut these squares open to make two halves of a sandwich. 
  2. Slice the brie into generous sized slices. 
  3. Spread a spoonful of pesto onto the bottom slice, then add a slice of tomato, and a couple slices of the brie. 
Enjoy! :)


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