Quite possibly my favorite dish on this planet :) I was challenged to find a way to create a vegan version of this recipe. The two types of tofu create the perfect texture and yet you will never even know the feta is missing! The tofu also contributes additional protein as well, an added benefit.
Servings 6
Author Veg Life Staff
Ingredients
1Tbl Vegetable or Olive Oil
1mediumOniondiced
1smallBunch of Green Onionsdiced
1cloveGarlicminced
2lbsfrozen Spinachdefrosted, rinsed, drained and chopped
½Cfresh Parsleychopped
2tbspDill (fresh or dried, to taste)chopped plus some for garnish
½CSilken Tofu blended smoothOR use 2 eggs if vegetarian
½CVegan RicottaOR Traditional Ricotta if vegetarian
¼CVegan Parmesan AlternativeOR Traditional Parmesan if you aren't vegetarian
½CExtra Firm Tofu OR use Feta if vegetarian
20sheetsPhyllo Doughdefrosted in the fridge overnight
1CMelted Vegan MargarineOR Butter/Margarine if vegetarian
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly spray an 8x8 to 9x13 inch square pan with cooking spray. The 8x8 will make a thicker end product.
Defrost, rinse, drain and chop frozen spinach. Set aside.
Heat 1 Tbl of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions, dill and garlic until softened and just starting to turn color. Add chopped spinach and parsley. Saute until spinach is warmed, about 2 minutes or so. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the silken tofu (or eggs) and blend until smooth. Add the ricotta (or vegan alternative) and crumbled extra firm tofu (or feta). There is now a vegan feta on the market. I haven't been able to try it yet, but it would be a great alternative here!
Fold in spinach mixture.
Melt the margarine in a small sauce pan. There is also the option of using a butter-flavored cooking spray to reduce the calories. It works just as well here!
Layer one sheet of phyllo into the prepared pan, lightly brushing with the melted margarine. Now, repeat with 9 more sheets fanning them in the pan so they overlap. Cover the remaining 10 sheets with a damp towel so they don't dry out.
Add the spinach mixture and spread evenly.
Fold in all four corners of the phyllo. Now, with the remaining sheets of phyllo sheets, loosely scrunch them on top of the folded phyllo and brush lightly with melted margarine. Alternately, you can layer the 10 remaining sheets (buttered in between each sheet) and just neatly tuck in the edges. I like the ruffled effect, but it's completely up to preference.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil mid-way through the baking process. The top should be golden and the filling warm inside.
Test with a knife. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.