Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
, plus extra for brushing
1 shallot
, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
50g fresh breadcrumbs
100g pecans, finely chopped
1 tbsp thyme leaves, chopped
50ml vegan vegetable stock or water
12 medjool dates, pitted
12 small sage leaves

See conversion here

• Direction
  Heat the oil in a frying pan.
• Add the shallot and a generous pinch of salt and cook for 2-3 mins until softened, then add the garlic, breadcrumbs, pecans and thyme and cook for 1 min more.
• Add a splash of vegetable stock to bring the mixture together, then set aside.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas
• Cut the dates in half lengthways (but don’t cut all the way through).
• Take small balls of the stuffing and push inside the dates, then push the sides of the dates back together.
• Put a sage leaf on top of each date, then put the dates on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
• Get ahead by prepping your dates up to this point – they will keep in the fridge overnight ready to be baked.
• Brush the outside of the dates liberally with olive oil, then bake for 15-20 mins until the sage leaf is crisp.
• Serve immediately.