I’m really excited about this recipe, as it’s one I’ve been making for a few years now.  Unfortunately, I can’t take credit for it, as it was originally linked on Oh She Glows about 3 years ago.  However, since then the site with the recipe has disappeared, and this one is so good that it has to be put back up in the blogosphere!  I’ve also modified it a bit based on a few (hundred) times of making it.

I recently made this as a side dish for our Easter dinner.  We had a couple of vegetarians in the mix, so had to make sure there were a few extra veggie friendly dishes.  The pictures are actually a double batch,  and missing the breadcrumbs on top.  The recipe here is for a single batch, so you can make it in a smaller sized dish.

One of the ways that I know I’m getting a lot of vitamins & nutrients is when I’m eating colour, and this recipe is certainly colourful!  Rather than using a pie crust, the base of this tart is actually sweet potatoes.   They are a great bright orange colour, and are an incredibly high source of the antioxidant beta carotene, which is a precursor to Vitamin A.  Also, sweet potatoes are great for helping with inflammation.  Studies on animals have actually show inflammation levels to decrease in brain & nerve tissue following eating sweet potatoes.*

In order to make the bottom stick together, there is a ‘flax egg’.  This is the first time I’ve posted about a flax egg, so let me give you a little explanation.  When you mix ground flax with warm water in a ratio of 3:1 flax:water, it makes an ‘egg’ like consistency that holds the base together.  This is a really popular binder in recipes if you are vegan.  I’ve never actually tried the recipe with a real egg, but it’s likely another option.

Now, for the cheese filling, there are two options.  The recipe below has a dairy free ‘ricotta’; however if you wanted a shortcut, you could just add regular ricotta, or even better, goat’s milk ricotta