Spanakopita vegan style (Spinach pie)

Ingredients

 300 gm spinach leaves or silver beet finely shredded

2 large brown onions finely chopped

2 ½ cup wholemeal (fresh) breadcrumbs

500 gm firm silken tofu*

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil + 2½ tablespoons extra

1 ½ teaspoons salt

2 sheets puff pastry.   Soya milk for basting 

Serves 6-8

Preheat oven to 200° celcius  (fan force)

¨  Remove stalks from spinach and finely shred. Wash under cold water and spin in a salad spinner or towel dry to remove any excess water. Place in a large mixing bowl.

¨  In a saucepan add 2 ½ tablespoons of oil and sauté onion until soft and set aside.

¨  Make fresh bread crumbs by placing slices of bread  in a food processor and pulse.

¨  Drain tofu to remove water, blend in a food processor.

¨  To spinach leaves add sauté onion, bread crumbs, tofu, olive oil and salt. Mix to combine.

¨  Line a baking tray with baking paper and place one pastry sheet on top. Brush edges with soya milk. Spoon spinach mixture over pastry leaving edges free. Place remaining pastry sheet on top and stretch to cover over mixture. Press edges together with a fork. Brush soya milk over the pastry with a pastry brush.  Take a sharp knife and cut vents into the top of the pie to help steam escape while pie is cooking.

¨  Place pie in oven and bake at 200° for 15-20 minutes then turn heat down to 180°. Cook for a further 25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.  

 

*  Tofu may be found in the cheese/cold meat section of the supermarket. Also sold in Asian and health food stores.

Note: Oven temperatures may vary with different models of ovens. Adjust temperatures according to your oven type. 

Posted by Yiannoulla Burness