Roasted Vegetables with Tuscan Bean Sauce and Chickpea Flatbread

Last Sunday, our friend Jane prepared a wonderful first course of roasted vegetables served with hummus. It was the inspiration for this one dish supper which I will serve with chickpea flatbreads.

I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the veggies, and the bean sauce was a snap, too. But I wasn’t quite sure about the flat breads. I have very fond memories of watching my friends in Florida make Roti…mixing and rolling and grilling the bread, but I didn’t see anything that looked familiar and most of the recipes required dairy.

So, I spent a very happy hour this afternoon looking at recipes and blogs for a way to make these flatbreads. All the recipe seem to be pretty standard (equal parts water and garbanzo bean flour). It’s up to you how to mix the batter, how long to let it sit and whether to add salt, oil or herbs. I even saw one site that added parmesan cheese. It’s also really great that everyone seems to have a different way of cooking them. They can be as thin as individual crepes, or slightly thicker pancakes, or even as a flat cake-like. And they can be prepared in an oven, or a broiler or on top of the stove — with or without turning. I chose to cook these first in the oven, then under the broiler in a pre-heated lightly oiled cast iron casserole. I also added oil, salt and herbs de Provence. The cooking technique I decided on is from Yum Universe by Heather Crosby. (http://yumuniverse.com/gluten-free-dairy-free-herbed-chickpea-flatbread/) which, by the way, is a terrific plant-based, gluten-free website. Thanks, Heather!

Blessings! ~ Glyn

Roasted Vegetables with Tuscan Bean Sauce and Chickpea Flatbreads.

For the Vegetables:
Marinate an assortment of vegetables in ¼ c olive oil, lightly seasoned with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. This works best if the veggies are of an approximate thickness. I used what I had on hand: Brussels sprouts, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, sweet peppers, and asparagus. Roast at 425F for 20-25 minutes or until browned to your preference. Serve with the Tuscan Bean Sauce.

Glyn’s Tuscan Bean Sauce:
1 can cannellini beans, with liquid
2 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of one lemon
1 clove garlic, mashed
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried rosemary
¼ tsp turmeric (optional, it adds a bit of color and a slightly earthy taste)
2 tbsp. tahini (optional, it provides a nutty flavor)

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

Gluten-Free Chickpea Flatbreads:
1 c. Bob’s Red Mill Garbanzo and Fava Bean Flour
1 c. water
1 dash of salt
1 ½ tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. dried herbs de Provence

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Let sit at room temperature for anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours. When ready to cook, heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle in an oven set to 450. Pour in the batter and let cook for 7-8 minutes or until the bottom is browned. Turn on the broiler and cook until the top is golden or deep brown, or slightly charred, according to your preference. Brush with a bit of olive oil if desired.