Katie White | Contributors - Nourish plant-based living

Katie White

Katie has a down-to-earth approach towards vegan food, sharing gardening inspiration and deliciously decadent recipes that celebrate seasonal produce. She earned a diploma in Plant-based Culinary Arts through Le Cordon Bleu London and is also a singer and songwriter. Her first print book, The Seasonal Vegan, is coming out on 26 April 2023.


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Marinated eggplant cannelloni

Katie White

This dish is not only gluten free, but also offers much more of a flavour punch than regular pasta-based cannelloni. It’s a wonderful way to use eggplants, tomatoes, and basil.

Ingredients

Serves: 4–6

MARINATED EGGPLANT

Spinach and tofu ricotta filling

Tomato sauce

Cheese sauce

Method

  1. Cut the eggplants lengthways into slices that are about ½ cm thick. Make the marinade by combining the olive oil, vinegar, and soy sauce in a mixing bowl.
  2. Dunk the slices of eggplant into the marinade to coat, then cook in a sandwich press or frying pan until they soften up just enough to roll up in cannelloni. You may need to do this in batches. Set aside.
  3. To make the spinach and tofu ricotta filling, blanch the spinach (or silver beet leaves) briefly in boiling water until tender, then drain. When cool, use your hands to squeeze out the majority of the liquid from the, then roughly chop. 
  4. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or saucepan then fry the onion until lightly coloured. If using silver beet, finely chop half of the stalks and cook with the onion.
  5. Place the tofu into a nut-milk bag (or muslin cloth) and squeeze out the excess liquid. 
  6. In a large mixing bowl, place the tofu, basil, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then mash with a fork or potato masher. Add the prepared greens and onion and combine. Set aside.
  7. If using fresh tomatoes to make the tomato sauce, preheat the oven to 180°C. Spread the chopped tomatoes on a baking tray with all the other sauce ingredients and roast in the oven for 40 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before pulsing in a blender to form a sauce. If using canned of tomatoes, simply simmer all sauce ingredients together until the flavours are combined and sauce thickens and reduces a bit.
  8. To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat then add the flour and whisk to form a paste. Slowly add the milk one ladle at a time, whisking immediately. Once about half of the milk has been added, add the salt, yeast, and garlic powder before continuing with the milk, whisking after each addition. Cook until the sauce thickens.
  9. Preheat the oven to 180°C (if not already on from the tomatoes).
  10. To assemble, place a layer of tomato sauce in the base of a baking dish. Scoop about 2 dessert spoons of filling onto each slice of marinated eggplant then roll up to make cannelloni. Place each roll in the dish, nice and snug. When the dish is full, top with tomato sauce and finish with a layer of cheese sauce on top. Bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes, or until golden. Garnish with fresh basil before serving.

TIP: This dish is best served with fresh salad on the side and soft bread to soak up the delicious juices.


Katie White

Katie has a down-to-earth approach towards vegan food, sharing gardening inspiration and deliciously decadent recipes that celebrate seasonal produce.

This recipe was originally published in Nourish plant-based living, Issue 68 • View magazine

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Chocolate and bay tart

Katie White

This exquisite tart infuses the soft sweet flavour of bay leaves through its silky chocolate filling. Bay leaves are a traditional symbol of peace, long associated with Easter, making it perfect for seasonal spreads at this time of year – or any occasion that calls for a sensational chocolate treat!

Ingredients

Serves 6–8

PASTRY

Filling

TO DECORATE (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  2. Make the pastry by placing all ingredients in a food processor, except the milk. Pulse until a breadcrumb-like consistency forms. Add the milk and pulse to combine.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form a rough ball. Roll the dough out to form a round sheet, about 3 mm thick.
  4. Brush a 22 cm loose-base tart tin with a little vegan butter and then lay the pastry in. Press it firmly into the base and up the walls of the tin. Remove any excess pastry from around the sides.
  5. Place a sheet of baking paper into the pastry shell and weigh it down with baking beads. Bake for 30 minutes. When done, remove the baking beads and set aside to cool.
  6. Meanwhile, make the filling. Place the bay leaves and soy milk into a saucepan, then simmer on very low heat for 30 minutes with the lid on. When done, remove the bay leaves and allow to cool.
  7. Combine the cornflour and milk to make a paste. Add to the saucepan with the cooled bay-infused milk along with the coconut cream, caster sugar, and agar powder. Stir to combine then place back on the heat, whisking frequently until it gets very thick.
  8. When thickened, remove from the heat and add the chocolate, mixing until it melts and combines. Fill the pastry case with the chocolate filling and refrigerate overnight.
  9. To serve as an Easter treat, sprinkle lightly with cacao and decorate the tart with vegan-friendly Easter eggs and edible flowers of your choice.

Katie White

Katie has a down-to-earth approach towards vegan food, sharing gardening inspiration and deliciously decadent recipes that celebrate seasonal produce.

This recipe was featured in Nourish plant-based living, Issue 69 • View magazine

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Artichoke pizza focaccia

Katie White

In this easy focaccia, artichoke hearts go beautifully with the complementary flavours of tomato, olive, and rosemary. It’s delicious straight out of the oven or toasted the next day and dipped in olive oil.

Ingredients

SERVES: 6-8

Toppings

Method

  1. To make the focaccia, mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then make a well in the centre. Add the water and oil into the dry mix and combine.
  2. Turn out the dough onto a floured bench and knead for 10 minutes. Leave the kneaded dough in a warm place to rise for 2 hours (or until it has doubled in size).
  3. Meanwhile, peel all the outer petals off the artichokes until you reach the white centre. Boil the white centres for 40 minutes, or until a skewer can pierce them through easily. Allow to cool, then cut each one in half so you are left with 6 pieces. Set aside.
  4. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
  5. When the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a floured bench and knead it into a ball. Next, roll it out into a rectangle about 2½cm thick.
  6. Score the dough in a criss-cross pattern then spread the tomato sauce on top. Add all the toppings, including the artichokes, then bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm with some extra olive oil, if you like.

TIP:  bread flour (also called strong flour) is higher in wheat protein the normal flour, making it easier to work with and resulting in a better bread texture. It’s available in supermarkets.


Katie White

Katie has a down-to-earth approach towards vegan food, sharing gardening inspiration and deliciously decadent recipes that celebrate seasonal produce.

This recipe is an edited extract from Nourish plant-based living, Issue 66 • View magazine

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Panna cotta with poached stone fruit

Katie White

The Persian flavours of bay, orange blossom, and cardamom make the perfect poaching syrup for the sweet stone fruit in this exquisite dessert, paired with creamy panna cotta.

Ingredients

Serves 4

POACHED FRUIT

PANNA COTTA

Method

  1. Combine all the poached fruit ingredients, except for the fruit, in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Then add the fruit and cook for 10 minutes, turning the fruit over halfway through. Cooking time will vary depending on how ripe they are, so watch them carefully to avoid overcooking.
  2. Remove the fruit from the poaching liquid and set aside in a serving bowl. Continue to simmer the liquid until it becomes a syrup, at least halving in volume. Set aside for serving.
  3. Next, lightly oil 4 dariole moulds (small-sized dessert moulds) with vegetable oil and set aside.
  4. To make the panna cotta, combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan then place over heat and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Once boiling, remove from the heat and pour evenly into the moulds and allow to cool. Place in the fridge overnight to set completely.
  5. When ready to serve, tap the panna cotta out of the moulds onto plates and drizzle with some cooled Persian syrup. Serve with poached stone fruit and extra syrup, to taste. Enjoy!

TIPS:

  • For the gelling agent, I used Queen Jel-it-in brand, which is widely available at Woolworths and Coles.
  • If you have leftover poached fruit, it’s also delicious served with plant-based yoghurt or ice cream – coconut, almond, oat, etc, or home made nice cream.

Katie White

Katie has a down-to-earth approach towards vegan food, sharing gardening inspiration and deliciously decadent recipes that celebrate seasonal produce.

Enjoying our inspiring stories? Sign up to our newsletter and receive our latest editorial and offers directly in your inbox.

Creamy asparagus and lemon fettucine

Katie White

The sun is shining, and it feels so good to get outside! It also feels great when we eat fresh, seasonal produce. Look out for Asparagus in spring.

Ingredients

SERVES 2

SAUCE

Method

  1. Cook the fettucine in salted, boiling water until al dente. When done, drain and dress with olive oil.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the asparagus. Snap off the tough bottom of each stalk of asparagus. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a frying pan then add the asparagus and white wine. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the liquid is nearly all evaporated and the asparagus is very lightly browned.
  3. To prepare the sauce, melt 2 tbsp of butter in a deep frying pan then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, except for the lemon juice, and simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. When all elements are ready, add the drained fettucine to the sauce along with the lemon juice and combine well.
  5. To serve, divide the pasta between 2 plates, top with the asparagus, the reserved lemon zest, and extra pepper, if you like.

Katie White

Katie has a down-to-earth approach towards vegan food, sharing gardening inspiration and deliciously decadent recipes that celebrate seasonal produce.

This recipe was originally published in Nourish Issue 66, Spring Clean • View magazine

Enjoying our inspiring stories? Sign up to our newsletter and receive our latest editorial and offers directly in your inbox.

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