Vegan Copycat Panera Mac & Cheese

A tasty approximation by HealthyGirl Kitchen.

Ingredients
12 oz. shell pasta
1.5 c. raw cashews
1/4 c. nutritional yeast
3/4 c. macadamia milk
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. veggie broth
1/2 lemon juiced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. vegan butter

Directions
Pour boiling water over cashews and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Blend all ingredients except pasta in Vitamix until smooth.

Make pasta. Add pasta back into the pot and combine with the mac and cheese sauce. Stir on low until heated through. If it thickens too much, add a touch more macadamia milk. 

Serves 6.

1 serving = 400 calories

Tofu "Feta"

Ingredients
⅓ c. lemon juice
¼ c. water
2 tbsp. white miso paste

1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp. salt
Fresh or dried herbs of choice, I used about 1 tsp. za'atar
Black pepper, to taste
1-14 oz. pkg. firm or extra firm tofu, drained and pressed for at least 30 minutes

Directions
Whisk the lemon juice, water, miso, garlic, salt, herbs, and black pepper together in a medium bowl. 

Add the tofu, cubed or sliced, and toss to coat. Allow the tofu to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate the tofu and marinade together in a sealed container for 2-3 days.

Serves 4. 

1 serving = 93 calories

Vegan Cottage Cheese

While not an exact approximation, this recipe definitely comes close to filling the void left by cottage cheese. Check out the original recipe by Loving It Vegan.

Ingredients
1 and 1/2 c. raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 1 hour
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. coconut cream (canned, unsweetened)
1/3 c. water
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
8 oz. extra firm tofu, pressed and crumbled
1 tsp. chives, chopped

Directions
Place soaked cashews, lemon juice, coconut cream, water, white vinegar, salt, nutritional yeast, onion powder and garlic powder into the blender and blend until smooth. Crumble the tofu and add it to a bowl. Pour over the blended cheese mixture, add the chopped chives and fold everything together gently so you don’t break up the tofu.

Place into the fridge for at least an hour to firm up.

1/4 cup = 146 calories

Vegan Blue "Cheese" Dressing

If I'm honest, this dressing looks more like honey mustard dressing, but it definitely has a blue cheese flavor profile! 

Ingredients

1 c. vegan mayo

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. crushed garlic

2 tbsp. tahini

1 tbsp. white vinegar

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. maple syrup

1/4 c. nutritional yeast

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried dill

2 oz. extra firm tofu, crumbled

Directions

Combine all ingredients up until the tofu. Whisk by hand until smooth. Crumble tofu with a fork and then add it in, folding it gently into the dressing. 

Makes about 2 cups.

Recipe credit to lovingitvegan.com. 

Mac & Cheeze Mix

Ingredients
Powder Mix
1/2 c. raw cashews
1/2 c. nutritional yeast
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. tapioca or arrowroot starch
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground mustard
1-2 tsp. salt
2-3 tsp. paprika, smoked or regular based on preference
Add other flavor profiles, like chipotle, Cajun, or garam masala!
Refrigerate the powder for freshness

To Make Mac & Cheeze
1 c. elbow macaroni or other pasta
1 c. non-dairy milk (I used flax milk) or water
1/3 to 1/2 c. powder mix
2 tbsp. olive oil or vegan butter

Directions
To make the powder mix, blend all ingredients using a food processor until powdered. It should take 2 to 3 minutes. You'll likely need to scrape the sides a few times with a rubber spatula. When ready, mix shouldn't have more than a slight grittiness.

To make the mac and cheeze dish, cook pasta according to directions and set aside. In a saucepan, melt a couple tablespoons of olive oil or vegan butter. Once melted, add the powder mix and stir to form a roux. Add non-dairy milk a bit at a time until a cheeze sauce forms. Add the pasta, stir to coat and keep on the heat for a few more minutes.

Serves 2 as a side.

https://www.veganricha.com/2018/12/vegan-mac-and-cheese-powder.html

Ricotta

Ingredients
4 c. whole milk
2 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. kosher salt
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
Fresh herbs, as desired

Directions
Set a large sieve over a deep bowl. Dampen 2 layers of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with the cheesecloth.

Pour the milk and cream into a stainless steel or enameled pot. Stir in the salt. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for 1 minute until it curdles. It will separate into thick parts (the curds) and milky parts (the whey).

Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20 to 25 minutes, occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. The longer you let the mixture drain, the thicker the ricotta. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining whey. Stir in herbs as desired. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep refrigerated for 4 or 5 days.

Yields about 2 cups.

Summer Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

For the vegetable mixture:

1tbsp. oil

1 small onion, diced

100 g. asparagus, cut into ½ cm. slices

50 g. sugar snap peas, cut into ½ cm. slices

4 cloves garlic, minced

100 g. mushrooms, cut into 1cm dice

125 g. cherry tomatoes, quartered

125 g. sweetcorn kernels

For the sauce:

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. plain flour

300 ml milk

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Salt

Black pepper

50 g. cheddar cheese, grated

To construct the lasagna:

150 g. no-boil lasagna sheets

100 g. mozzarella, grated

1 large tomato, sliced

Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve

Instructions

Begin by preparing your vegetables. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and add the diced onion, asparagus, and sugar snap peas. Cook over a fairly low heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, and then add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook for a further 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have cooked down and the mixture is fairly dry. Remove from the heat, and add the tomatoes and sweetcorn. Set aside.

Next, make the creamy sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add the flour. Whisking constantly, cook over a very low heat for a minute or two, and then add the milk a little at a time, whisking until smooth each time before adding another dash. Add the nutmeg and plenty of seasoning, along with the grated cheddar. Whisk for one more minute until the cheese has melted into the sauce, and then remove from the heat.

Heat the oven to 375°F.

Now you can begin to construct the lasagna. Begin with about a tablespoon of sauce, spread out over the bottom of a baking dish (mine measured around 8 x 6 inches). Add a layer of lasagna sheets, breaking them into pieces so that they cover the bottom of the dish in a single layer.

From here on, it doesn't matter too much how you create your layers, but here's how I made mine: ⅓ of the vegetable mixture; ⅓ of the sauce; layer of lasagna; another ⅓ of the vegetables; another ⅓ of the sauce; another layer of lasagna; remaining vegetables; remaining sauce. Make sure any corners of lasagna are covered in at least a little bit of the sauce to stop them from burning.

Once you've used up all of your vegetables and sauce, top the dish with the grated mozzarella and slices of tomato. Bake for around 40 minutes, or until the cheese is crispy and golden brown and the lasagna is tender. If the cheese is browning too quickly, just cover the dish loosely with foil and return to the oven until the pasta is cooked.

Leave to stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

Ricotta Fritters with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients
For the sauce:
25 g. dried porcini mushrooms
1 dried red chilli
2 cloves of garlic
700 g. passata (tomato puree)
8 black olives (stone in)
½ bunch of fresh basil

For the fritters:
1 large free-range egg
400 g. ricotta cheese
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
1 lemon
40 g. Parmesan cheese
1 heaped tbsp. plain flour
olive oil
balsamic vinegar

Directions
Put the porcini into a mug and cover with boiling water. Crack the egg into a mixing bowl, add the ricotta, finely grate in ¼ of the nutmeg, the lemon zest and Parmesan, add the flour, then beat together. Put 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the frying pan, then use a tablespoon to spoon in 8 large dollops of the mixture, turning carefully when nice and golden.

Put 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the casserole pan, crumble in the dried chili, and squash in the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher. Finely chop and add the porcini with half their soaking water and the passata, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Squash and add the olives, discarding the stones. Pick and reserve a few basil leaves, then chop the rest and add to the sauce.

Place the fritters on top of the sauce, then scatter over the reserved basil leaves, drizzle with balsamic and serve with lemon wedges

Serves 4.

Black Bean & Red Quinoa Enchiladas

Ingredients

4 tomatillos

4 garlic cloves

2 limes

1 large bunch cilantro

1 poblano pepper

1 onion

½ c. red quinoa

15-oz. can black beans

1 tsp. cumin

4 flour tortillas

1 c. Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling, on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Remove the papery layer from the tomatillos. Peel and mince the garlic. Cut the limes into quarters. Roughly chop the cilantro. Peel and small dice the onion.

Add the red quinoa to the boiling water. Cook for about 18 to 22 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a medium bowl.

Place the poblano pepper and tomatillos on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 9 to 11 minutes, or until the skin of the pepper is browned. When cool enough to handle, carefully remove and discard the skin and seeds from the pepper, then finely chop. Finely chop the tomatillos.

In the same pot used for the quinoa, heat a little olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the onion and garlic and cook 4 to 6 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the poblano pepper, tomatillos, and ½ cup of water; season with salt and pepper. Simmer 4 to 6 minutes, or until thickened and slightly reduced in volume, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add the juice of two lime quarters.

While the salsa simmers, drain and rinse the black beans. To the bowl of cooked quinoa, add the black beans, the cumin, half the cilantro, the juice of two lime wedges, and about a tablespoon of olive oil. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread about ½ c. of the quinoa mixture into the bottom of a baking dish. Divide the remaining mixture between each tortilla, placing it on half of the tortillas. Roll them up, then place them in the baking dish, seam side down.

Pour the salsa verde over the enchiladas, then sprinkle the cheese over the top; lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and bubbling. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes before serving. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and lime wedges.

Leek & Goat Cheese Quiche

Ingredients
1 prepared pie crust
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 lb. leeks (including tender green parts), sliced crosswise 
1/8-inch thick
Salt and pepper, freshly ground
4 whole eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
1 ½ to 2 cups heavy cream, light cream, or half-and-half
Pinch of nutmeg, freshly ground
1 c. Gruyère, Emmenthaler, or Jarlsberg cheese, shredded
3 tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
¼ lb. fresh goat cheese, crumbled 

Directions
In a large, heavy frying pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. When it foams, add the leeks, reduce the heat to low, and cook slowly until the leeks are soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a baking sheet on the rack below to catch drips. 

In a bowl, whisk together the whole egg, egg yolk and cream until well blended. Season with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese evenly over the bottom of the pastry crust. Top with the leeks, then the chives, and finally the goat cheese. Pour as much of the egg mixture as will fit, stopping within ½ inch of the rim. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese evenly over the top. 

Bake the tart until the top is lightly puffed and golden and the filling jiggles only slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 25 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and let rest 10 minutes. If using a tart pan with a removable bottom, place the pan on your outstretched palm and let the ring fall away, then slide the tart onto a serving plate. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Leek, Artichoke & Blue Cheese Wellington

Ingredients
3 tbsp. olive oil
100 g. pine nuts
1.25 kg. leeks, sliced
3 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
500 g. frozen puff pastry, thawed
150 g. blue cheese, crumbled
200 g. sliced artichokes in oil, drained
175 g. sundried tomatoes in oil, drained
1 egg, beaten

Directions
Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the pine nuts for two minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden. Using a slotted spoon, remove the nuts from the pan and drain well on paper towels. Meanwhile, add the leeks to the pan and cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occassionally, until tender. Stir in the thyme, remove from the heat, uncover, and allow to cool. Stir in pine nuts.

Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Roll the pastry into a 13 x 14.5" rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Place the pastry on the baking sheet. Spoon half the leeks onto one half of the pastry and within an inch of three of the edges. Scatter half the cheese. Arrange artichokes and tomatoes on top, then spread over remaining leeks and cheese.

Brush the edges of the pastry with water. Fold over pastry to enclose the filling and pinch the edges together. Using a sharp knife, knock up the edges and flute. Brush with the egg and score the surface with a sharp knife to decorate. Cover and chill for 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Uncover the wellington and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

Carrot & Leek Quesadillas

Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 leeks, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly (whites and light green parts only)
4 carrots, shredded (about 2 c.)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. Sriracha
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 c. sharp cheddar, shredded
6 flour tortillas

Directions
In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the leeks and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the carrots and cook until the vegetables are nearly tender, about 4 minutes. Add the cumin, sea salt, honey, Sriracha, lime juice and 1/4 cup of water. Continue to cook until the liquid is absorbed and the carrot mixture is tender, about 3 minutes.

Arrange the tortillas on a work surface. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cheese over half of each tortilla. Top each with the carrot mixture. Divide the remaining cheese between the tortillas and fold them in half, pressing to help them stick together.

Wipe out the skillet and brush lightly with half of the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook 2 of the quesadillas over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining oil and quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla in half and serve with salsa and/or guacamole. 

Serves 2 as dinner, 4 as appetizer.

Buffalo Quinoa "Mac" & Cheese

Ingredients

1-1/4 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained

salt and pepper

2 tbsp. flour

1 c. milk, divided

2 scallions

1 c. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 blue cheese, crumbled

1/3 c. Buffalo sauce (see Buffalo Cauliflower recipe)

Directions

Preheat broiler. Cook quinoa and set aside. 

Whisk together flour and 1/2 cup of milk in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Pour in remaining milk, and green onions. Switch to a spatula and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, then cook for one minute while boiling. 

Remove the pan from the heat and add in Buffalo sauce and cheddar cheese. Season with a few dashes of salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese is completely melted, then add in cooked quinoa and stir to combine. 

Pour into non-stick sprayed casserole dish and top with blue cheese. Broil for 5 to 7 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbly. You can also use individual ramekins. 

Serves 4.  

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts Grilled Cheese

Ingredients
1/2 lb. Brussels sprouts, stems removed and chopped or shredded (I tossed them in the food processor)
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
balsamic glaze 
havarti cheese, sliced
8 slices sourdough bread
softened butter for spreading

Directions
Heat a large skillet oven medium heat and add olive oil. Toss in shredded Brussels sprouts and garlic with salt and pepper, tossing to coat. Cook until wilted and golden, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove sprouts from the skillet and place them in a bowl.

Heat a skillet oven medium-low heat. Butter the outsides of every bread slice, then layer the sandwiches with slices of cheese, the Brussels sprouts, a good drizzle of balsamic glaze and more cheese. Top off with a slice of bread, buttered-side up. Cook until each side is golden and crisp and cheese is melted, then gently flip and do the same.

Makes 4 small sandwiches.

Cream of Broccoli Soup with Aged Cheddar

Ingredients

1 1b. broccoli, roughly chopped (use the stems here!)

2 leeks, sliced (mostly whites)

a few tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4 c. flour

4 c. vegetable stock, warmed

1 tbsp. fresh thyme

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 c. heavy cream, light cream or half-and-half

1/2 lb. aged cheddar, shredded

salt and black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Directions

Saute leeks in butter until just browning. Add flour and whisk to create a roux. You may need to add a bit more butter. Whisking continually, add the stock. Toss in your broccoli, thyme, lemon juice and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until broccoli is tender, about 15 minutes. 

Once broccoli is tender, puree the soup mixture and add the cream. Continue to warm on low heat, adding cheese, a little at a time, melting. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Serves 6 to 8. 

Spicy Roasted Veggie Macaroni & Cheese

Made without butter and WITH lots of veggies, making this macaroni and cheese a little healthier.

Ingredients
2 to 3 c. fresh vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, red pepper, and squash, chopped
2 c. whole wheat pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 c. milk
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. Panko breadcrumbs

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set a medium pot of salted water to boil. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining with parchment paper, and coating with a little olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Toss vegetables onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Remove from oven and set aside.

Once the water is boiling, lower heat slightly and add pasta, cooking according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until well distributed and melted. Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Add macaroni and vegetables.

Place mixture in a large casserole dish and sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs. Place under the broiler in your oven (500 degrees) for 3-4 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Bowties with Sugar Snap Peas, Lemon & Ricotta

Perfect for early summer when the snap peas arrive at the market!

Ingredients
Salt for pasta water
1 lb. sugar snaps
1 lb.  dried pasta bowties
1/2 c. (about 1 oz.) pecorino romano or parmesan, finely grated
A glug, then a drizzle, of olive oil
Coarse or fine sea salt for sprinkling
Black pepper, freshly ground
Juice of 1 lemon, plus more to taste
Few leaves of mint, slivered
1 c. ricotta

Directions
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil. While waiting, string sugar snaps and cut into 1/2-inch segments. Cook bowties for two minutes less than the suggested cooking time on the package, then add sugar snaps to pasta. Cook for one minute more. Reserve one cup pasta cooking water, then drain the sugar snaps and bowties. Add them back to the empty pot with 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, grated cheese, a glug of olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook on high for one minute, tossing constantly. Add a splash more cooking water if pasta looks too dry. Turn the heat off, dollop ricotta all over in large spoonfuls and, without stirring, tip pasta mixture into a wide serving bowl. (I do this because I love the idea of finding slightly unmixed pockets of ricotta.) Drizzle pasta with a small amount of olive oil, then squeeze lemon juice over the whole dish, sprinkle with mint, and finish with an extra sprinkling of parmesan. Serve quickly. 

NOTE: Lemon juice, rather rudely, discolors green vegetables so be sure to add this only right before serving.

Serves 4 as a main course, 8 as a side dish. 

Beer Mac & Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. butter

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 carrots, diced

• 2 stalks celery, diced

• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Additional veggies, like broccoli or peas

• 1/4 c. flour 

• 2 c. vegetable broth

• 1-12 oz. bottle beer

• 1 pinch nutmeg

• 1 c. elbow macaroni

• 1/2 c. heavy cream

• 1 tsp. dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce

• 3 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

• cayenne to taste

• salt and pepper to taste

• 
  

Directions
Add the onion, carrot, celery and jalapeno to melted butter and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add additional vegetables, like broccoli or peas. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Mix in the flour and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the broth, beer, nutmeg, and macaroni and let cook until the macaroni is al-dente, about 7-8 minutes. Add the cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and cheese and cook until the cheese has melted without bringing it back to a boil. Season with cayenne, salt and pepper to taste.

Brussels Sprout & Butternut Squash Lasagna

Ingredients
3 c. Brussels sprouts, quartered
3 c. butternut squash, diced
1 tbsp. butter
1 shallot, chopped 
6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 egg
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus 1/4 cup for topping 
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
7 oz. fresh pesto sauce (I used Wegmans’)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, drained of water and sliced
lasagna noodles (I used Wegmans’ fresh lasagna sheets)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until lightly browned in parts and tender, about 15 minutes. 

Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Cook shallots and sage until tender. Add to Brussels sprouts and squash, tossing to combine. 

In a medium bowl, stir together egg, ricotta, Parmesan, and nutmeg. 

Spread a thin layer of pesto over bottom of a 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Cover with one layer of noodles. Spoon half the vegetable mixture over pasta. Spread half the ricotta mixture over the vegetables. Cover with 1/2 the mozzarella slices. Top with a second layer of lasagna noodles and spread pesto over. Top with remaining vegetables, ricotta, third layer of noodles, and pesto. Top with remaining mozzarella slices and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until bubbly.

Serves 6.

Spanakopita

From Mollie Katzen’s vegetarian Moosewood Cookbook, this spinach pie is less salty and lighter than more traditional recipes.

Ingredients

1 pkg. frozen filo dough
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 c. onion, minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
2 1/2 lbs. fresh spinach, stemmed & finely chopped
5 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 tbs. flour
2 to 3 c. (about a 1 lb.) crumbled feta cheese
1 c. cottage cheese
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 to 1/2 c. olive oil, for the filo
1 lb. filo pastry leaves (approximately 20 leaves), thoroughly defrosted

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 9x13 inch baking pan. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, salt, and herbs, and sauté for about five minutes, or until onion softens. Add spinach, turn up the heat, and cook, stirring, until the spinach wilts. Stir in the garlic.

Sprinkle in the flour, stir, and cook over medium heat 2 to 3 more minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in the cheeses. Taste to correct seasonings, adding lots of black pepper. Unwrap the thawed filo dough. Place a sheet of filo in the oiled pan, letting the pastry edges climb up the sides. Brush lightly with oil, and add another sheet. Keep going until you have a pile of 8 oiled sheets. Add half the filling, spreading it to the edges, then repeat with 8 more sheets of oiled filo, followed by the remaining filling. Layer the rest of the filo over the filling, brushing oil in between. Oil the top, tuck in the edges, and bake, uncovered for about 45 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Serve hot or warm.