A fabulous autumn dish. Add a few of your favourite vegetables like grilled and peeled peppers, sliced and pan-fried courgettes and blanched green beans.

Ingredients

Tempeh

• ½ cup polenta
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 tblsp chopped fresh herbs or 1 tblsp dried
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 250 grams tempeh
• 2 tblsp sundried red pepper or tomato paste
• ½ cup milk (can be soy)
• 2 tblsp prepared mustard (mild English is nice here)
• oil to pan-fry

Pumpkin and Pinenut Tarts

• 400 grams savoury short pastry (see recipe below)
• 500 grams pumpkin, skin and seeds removed
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp prepared mustard
• 2 tblsp chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper to season

Pesto Dressing

• 2 tblsp basil pesto
• ½ cup vinaigrette

Method

1. Divide the pumpkin mixture evenly among the tarts. Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes until set.
2. Cook the pumpkin by either microwaving or boiling in a little water until tender. Puree or sieve until smooth. Beat in the eggs, mustard and basil then season with salt and pepper.

Tempeh

1. Mix together the polenta, flour, herbs and pepper.
2. Cut the tempeh in half horizontally and then cut each half into 4-6 wedge shapes. Spread the tomato or red pepper paste over the tempeh pieces. Mix the milk and mustard together.
3. Dip each wedge into the polenta mix then dip into the milk and then coat again in the polenta mixture to give a double coat.
4. Pan fry in oil, turning once to ensure even cooking on both sides.
5. Serve wedges with a pumpkin and pinenut tart and vegetables. Pour a little pesto dressing around the sides.

Pumpkin and Pinenut Tart

1. Roll the pastry out to 3mm thickness and use to line the base and sides of six 10cm tart tins. Line with baking paper and fill with baking blind material. Bake at 190 °C for 12 minutes. Remove the baking blind beans and the paper and return the tins to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
2. Cook the pumpkin by either microwaving or boiling in a little water until tender. Puree or sieve until smooth. Beat in the eggs, mustard and basil then season with salt and pepper.
3. Divide the pumpkin mixture evenly among the tarts. Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes until set.

Pesto Dressing

1. Mix the pesto and vinaigrette together.