Spiral borek - also known as Spanakopita - was something I enjoyed often while growing up. I loved the warm flaky pastry and the cheese and spinach filling. I'm so happy to be able to recreate this dish as a vegan and still enjoy that delicious taste.
I use tofu for my filling but you can also use a vegan cheese if you like. This type of pastry is Filo pastry and there are vegan ones available - just check the ingredients to make sure. If you haven't used this pastry before, it's very thin and fragile. It can tear very easily so be extra careful. I like to use two layers of filo pastry per "roll". Watch my video below to see how I make this step-by-step.
Recipe:
1 packet of filo pastry, thawed
1 block of firm tofu (375g) crumbled
400g fresh spinach 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Juice of half a lemon
Salt & pepper to taste
To brush pastry with: 1/2 cup plant milk + 1/4 cup vegan butter melted
Sesame seeds to sprinkle on top
1. In a large bowl, crumble the tofu with your hands and then add the spinach, garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and salt & pepper. Mix until everything is well combined.
2. Lay two layers filo pastry on a clean flat surface and brush with the milk + butter mixture. Spoon the tofu & spinach mix onto the pastry in a single line horizontally along the bottom.
3. Roll the pastry up to form a log. Place aside and repeat this with the remaining pastry sheets & filling.
4. To bake, you'll need a round baking dish or tin. I used one that's 24cm wide. Place one of the rolled up pieces in the baking dish along the outside. Place your second piece in the baking dish and continue with the other pieces, forming a spiral shape as you get closer to the middle.
5. Brush the top with the milk + butter mix and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 190 degrees Celsius for 25-30 mins until the pastry is golden brown on top.
6. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 mins before cutting into desired pieces and serving. Enjoy with a side salad or with a warm cup of tea or coffee.
Tag @veganbyeden on Instagram if you try my Spiral Borek recipe, I'd love to see all your delicious pastry creations.