​Chapatis are a type of flatbread or "roti" common in India. I remember the first time I made and ate Chapatis was in 2nd year Culinary School. It was the international rotation. We really did cook our way around the world for a few weeks. What struck me in my memory about these was how ridiculously simple they were. Just flour, water, salt and typically brushed with ghee (i used earth balance spread) I remember making them at home a lot for a stint after we made them in school, and really I should make them more often now. What a tasty treat. I like it just as much as naan honestly and it takes a fraction of the time. They are typically made with 100% whole wheat flour. I like that they lend well to being whole grain without actually tasting like it. (not that I dislike the taste of whole wheat, I love it, but you know what I'm sayin). They are the perfect vehicle for mopping up spicy curries.

Yield: 12 Chapatis

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup warm water
• couple pinches kosher salt

Method:
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1. Combine flour and salt in a bowl and add your water. Use a fork to stir it all together until flour is moistened and all comes together. Dump onto floured work surface. Kneed the dough for about 10 minutes. You will probably have to add flour periodically to prevent sticking. When you are working with dough like this it should still feel a tiny bit tacky but not super sticky, and definitely you don't want it super dry either. Same as pizza dough.
2. Brush with a bit of oil, put it covered in a clean bowl to rest at least 30 minutes.
3. For rolling, pinch the dough into 12 equal pieces. I don't bother weighing them but you could. Have a damp cloth to cover the portioned balls as you roll them so they don't dry out.
4. Heat a seasoned cast iron pan over medium high heat. I also brushed mine with just a bit of oil. (seasoned is just the method for making cast iron pans non stick by coating with oil and baking in a 350 F oven for an hour)
5. Press a ball of dough between the palms of your hands to form a disc. Dust with flour and roll out to form a very thin disc. Shake off excess flour then to cook place the disc in your pan, it will start to bubble on the top. After about 30 seconds flip over to cook the other side, brush the cooked side with melted vegan butter. There should be some dark blistered spots and this is what you are looking for. Repeat this process. You might have to adjust your heat as you go. I reheated my chapatis in the pan the next day over medium heat for a few seconds each side just until warm.

My recipe for Red Lentil Dhal with Coconut Milk is delicious, inexpensive, and perfect for scooping onto chapati.

Yield: 1 x 8 inch tart

A classic French Tart is a beautiful thing. I first fell in love with tarts, like truly developed an affinity for them, when I was in my early 20s (before culinary school) watching food network TV all winter. Specifically French Food at Home with Laura Calder. Her cooking style had a pretty big impact on me. It was for me visually stunning, and at the time exactly the type of food I was really wanting to make in my own kitchen. There was a comfort to her food but also an elegance. I own all or most of her cookbooks and she goes into detail about tart bases in at least 2 of them. Different recipes for creamy tarts, fruit tarts, and galettes. Some you press in the tart pan in pieces, others you want to roll out with your rolling pin. Mix your dough by hand, or in a food processor. So, I guess all of this is what runs through my mind when I think about any kind of French Tart.

Even though how I eat has changed as far as what I consume, everything I love about making and eating tarts is possible. I just had a slice of this vegan apple tart, alongside a scoop of "So Delicious" (the name doesn't lie!) Cashew Caramel Ice cream. It doesn't taste vegan. It just tastes damn good.

The only thing I want to try to improve this tart, is some kind of wash to keep the bottom crust crisp. The edges keep their texture, but the bottom does soften a bit. Typically, you'd brush on some egg white to seal the crust, I thought about using aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas and is often used as an eggwhite substitute for things like making vegan meringues) but I have yet to try it. I couldn't find any information online (after looking briefly) to see if anyone else has tried doing this with success. Anyway, I solved my perfect texture dilemma by sprinkling on some toasted pecans to give me the crunchiness I was craving. I still really enjoyed this apple tart regardless, and I would make it again as is. Again, caramel ice cream was perfect (or I suppose vanilla ice cream with a caramel drizzle), and pecans are a nice touch no matter how the crust turns out. Add all the delicious things!! 

Ingredients:

Shortcrust Pastry
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cold vegan butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup ice water

Filling
1 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce. 
2/3 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp corn starch
3 apples, cored and sliced a little less than 1/4 inch thick (I didn't peel mine) (if they are smaller 3, if really large 2 would be enough)
1 tbsp vegan butter
1/4 cup sugar

Method:
Pastry Shell

1. I always use my food processor because it does a great job. Give the flour, sugar and salt a few pulses together to combine. Add the cold butter and process just until the butter is evenly distributed into the flour. With the motor running pour the ice water in, in a steady stream. Don't over mix your dough. Less than 30 seconds should do it.
2. Wrap dough in saran wrap in a disc shape and refrigerate for about an hour to rest and chill.
3. When the dough is chilling turn your oven on to 400° F. You will need to dust flour on your work surface, on top of the dough, and your rolling pin. Probably more than once to prevent sticking. Roll your dough larger than the 8 inch pan. About 1/4 inch thick. Press evenly into your tart pan. There will be a leftover chunk of dough for sure. (I often just bake it off like a cookie or make a little hand pie filled with jam. You also can pop the dough in the freezer and use it later)
4. Now I pop it in the fridge or freezer while my oven preheats. 
5. Now time to blind bake the tart shell. Line your tart with parchment paper and fill with some dried beans to weight it down and pop it in the oven. (Sitting on a sheet pan) 20 - 25 minutes. You want it to be golden but not dark. Some ovens run hotter than others. Dark coloured pans lend to faster cooking times. Once it's golden take out the parchment and beans and bake another 3-5 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350° F for final baking step.

Apricot Glaze

1. Just put the apricot preserves in a small pot with a tbsp of water. Just needs to heat to be fluid. Set aside.

Apples

1. Slice apples a bit less than a 1/4 inch thick. Heat 1 tbsp of vegan butter ( I used earth balance) in a pan on medium heat. Add the sugar, give it a stir, then throw in your sliced apples and get them coated with the buttery sugar. You want to cook the apples down for 2-3 minutes until they soften a bit.

Assembly & Finish Baking

1. Fill your prepared tart shell with the sweetened apple sauce. Arrange your apples in a circular pattern starting at the outside edge working your way inwards. You can brush with a little melted butter if you want. Bake for 30-35 min on a sheet pan. 
2. When tart is cool brush with warm apricot glaze. Dust with powdered sugar or powdered cinnamon sugar if desired.
3. Serve with your favourite caramel swirl ice cream. 

Recipe Difficulty: Easy