Pinto Pie Recipe

Pinto Pie Recipe

I am constantly seeking to add more variety to my diet and am always discovering new methods to achieve this. In this Pinto Pie Recipe, as the name indicates, I incorporated pinto beans, which I don't often use despite their pleasant flavor and excellent nutritional value. Pinto beans are quite popular in the United States, and if you're reading my blog from there, I imagine you're eager to try baking them in a fresh way.

Pinto beans are an excellent source of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They may offer benefits keeping your gut bacteria happy, for your blood sugars and heart. Pinto beans contain many healthy antioxidants, including polyphenols and flavonoids and some of these have been associated with reduced inflammation (source) and repressed cancer growth, just to name a few. (Source)

I bought a can of pinto beans which turned out to be pinto bean paste. Although it looked quite dense, it turned out to be really light. To compensate for this and improve texture, I used slightly crunchy roasted cashews in the filling and baked the puff pastry nice and crispy.

Pinto Pie Recipe

Ingredients

Around 2 1/2 sheets of puff pastry, defrosted if frozen

4 tbsp of olive oil

1 onion chopped

2 garlic cloves sliced

1 eggplant diced

1/2 cup roughly chopped roasted cashews

1 can of Pinto beans paste (or whole beans mashed)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon oregano

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 a cup of vegan yoghurt

1 tbsp flax meal mixed with 3 tbsp water

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinto Pie Recipe

Instructions

Place the pastry on a baking tray. Ensure it is pressed evenly on a non-stick baking tray or lined with baking paper. If the pastry doesn't cover the entire area, cut matching pieces from the remaining pastry sheet and press them firmly to the existing pastry to make them adhere.

Line the top with baking paper and place baking pearls on it. Bake at 180 degrees convection for 10 to 15 minutes until fully baked.

While waiting, heat some oil and add the onion and garlic. After five minutes, add the aubergine and spices. Once the aubergine is steamed or fried, combine it with the remaining ingredients in a blender. Pulse 3-4 times until the mixture is mushy with some solid bits. Avoid over blending to maintain a texture with bits.

Stuff the pressed pastry with this mixture. Place another pastry layer on top and seal the edges with a fork. Use a fork to create two circles of small holes.

Bake for approximately 60 minutes until the top layer turns golden. If necessary, check and extend the baking time by an additional 15 minutes.

Accompany with a lemon wedge and easy greek salad.

Pinto Pie Recipe