Mediterranean Vegetable Pie

I love savoury food in pie crust.
 
This was not of my creation. It was the work of my dear wife, Carmel. For years she would make Spanakopita or Greek spinach pie, but it meant using eggs and feta cheese. Since our household becoming predominantly vegan, it has not been made very often. I did try using crumbly tofu as a substitute but, there was something missing.

But things have moved on and there are now new vegan cheeses on the market; some new alternatives to dairy cheeses that actually work pretty well. These ‘cheeses’ are fermented and I believe it is makes all the difference to the taste, giving that tanginess we like from dairy cheese, but none of negatives of dairy – guilt-free and tasty.

INGREDIENTS

• Short crust pastry for a large plate or a small tray ( see page 166 of the Hungry Soul Cookbook or use your favourite recipe using vegan butter / vegetable shortening )
• 1 onion, finelly chopped
• 2 or 3 gloves of garlic – finely chopped
• ½ a red pepper, cubed
• 1 small courgette, cubed
• A big bunch of fresh spinach – wilted and chopped
• 3 or more Tbsp – Natural cream cheese by Hungry Soul (add another pinch of salt to it if desired)
• 3 or 4 soft sundried tomatoes – chopped
• 2 cooked left-over potatoes, pelled and cubed
• ½ tsp of dried oregano
• A  little olive oil
• A pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper

  
METHOD

1. Make the pastry and put it into the fridge while preparing the filling.
2. In a medium pan, soften the onions a few minutes in a drop of olive oil. Then add the garlic, the red pepper and the courgette and cook another few minutes and set aside.
3. Wash the spinach and drip dry. Wilt the spinach in a dry warm pot. Roughly chop it up then add it to the onion mixture.
4. Peel the cooked left-over potatoes, cube and add to the onion.
5. Finely chop the sundried tomatoes and add to the onion.
6. Season the filling with a little salt and pepper and a half tsp of dried oregano.
7. Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out half the pastry.
8. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C
9. Leaving 2cm all around free, spread the filling over the dough.
10. Over the filling spread a few tablespoons of the Natural Vegan Cream Cheese.
11. Roll out the other half of the pastry and place over the filling pressing the edges to seal it all well.
12. Using a fork make a few holes in the top of the pastry and place into the over for 30 to 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden and browning at the edges.

 
Wonderful eaten with a nice green summer salad.
 
Bon Appétit
 
@HungrySoulVegan  - Changing the Culture