RECIPE :: chickpea and parsnip bake

(4 servings)

Chickpeas and parsnips; an odd mix but tastes glorious.

Ingredients
Bake
3tbps olive oil,
1 medium onion (finely chopped),
1 red pepper (finely chopped),
2 cloves of crushed garlic
500g / 18oz of cooked chickpeas,
1 large parsnip (grated),
½ tsp of salt,
50g / 2oz of tahini,
1tsp of tarragon,
2tbsp of water and
1tbsp of gram flour.

Topping
1tbsp of olive oil,
150g / 5½oz of mushrooms,
2tbsp of butter,
2tbsp of gram flour,
½ pint of soya milk,
½ tsp of salt,
2tbsp of tomato puree and
1tsp of dried basil.

Method
1) Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 / 180C / 350F.
2) To make the bake; fry the onion with the olive oil over a medium/low heat for 4 minutes.  Add the pepper and garlic and fry for a further 4 minutes.
3) Coarsely mash the chickpeas and mix with the parsnips, salt, tahini and tarragon.  Mix the onions and peppers with the chickpeas.
4) Combine the water and gram flour to form a paste then mix into the chickpea mixture. 
5) Place the chickpea mixture into a 2lb loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes.
6) To make the topping; fry the mushrooms with the olive oil over a medium heat for 4 minutes and set aside.
7) Place the butter into the frying pan and melt over a low heat, then mix in the gram flour to create a smooth roux and fry for 2 minutes.
8) Add the milk and stir constantly until the roux has been absorbed into the milk.  Once the milk thickens add the mushrooms, salt, tomato puree and basil.
9) After the chickpea mixture has been in the oven for 30 minutes, pour the topping over it and bake for 15 minutes.
10) Once cooked leave to stand for 5 minutes before removing from the tin.