Vegan spanakopita with a beetroot dough
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author: EnHealthy
Ingredients
For the dough
  • ½ cup (145 ml) olive oil
  • 5 tablespoons (35 g) ml of vinegar
  • 230 ml of water
  • 1 beetroot (180 gr)
  • 500 gr. wholewheat flour
  • ⅓ cup olive oil for drizzling the phyllo
  • ½ cup semolina
For the filling
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 large leek finely chopped
  • 4 spring onions finely chopped
  • 1 kg of spinach, well washed
  • 1 cup fresh mint leaves chopped
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • salt
For the vegan cheese
  • 1 cup Cashews (soaked for 3 hour)
  • 2 tablespoons Nutritional yeast
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Pepper
  • Pinch of salt
Instructions
For the dough
  1. Add, olive oil, vinegar, water, beetroot, salt in a blender and blend until the beetroot is completely blend.
  2. In a big bowl add the flour, then add the beetroot mixture mix with your hands and knead for 5 minutes.
  3. When the dough comes together nicely and it pulls away from the sides of the bowl, it is ready.
  4. The dough should be soft and elastic. If it is not, knead whit your hands for a few more minutes.
  5. When ready, transfer to another bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set it aside to rest for 30 minutes.
For the filling
  1. Place a nonstick pan over medium to high heat.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, chopped leek and the spring onions.
  3. Sauté until they soften.
  4. Tear up the spinach with your hands and add to the pan. Add lemon juice.
  5. Sauté until it softens and all of the liquid evaporates. Add the mint, salt, pepper stir well and set aside.
For the “ vegan cheese”
  1. Add all ingredients in the blender, blend until smooth and creamy.
  2. How to roll out phyllo dough
  3. Preheat oven to 190* C (374* F) Fan.
  4. When the dough is ready, transfer to your working surface and divide in to 4 equal parts.
  5. Sprinkle some semolina on to your working surface and start to roll out the first piece of dough. You want it to become thin.
  6. If your dough is too sticky, sprinkle with some more semolina and continue rolling out.
  7. Always roll the rolling pin towards you to spread the dough out further.
  8. Continue rolling out the pieces of dough in the same manner.
  9. Brush a 30 cm X 30 cm baking pan with olive oil.
  10. Lay the first piece of phyllo nicely on to the bottom of the pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Then lay the second phyllo, drizzle with olive oil. Make sure you lay the phyllo along the sides of the baking pan first and then fill in the gaps with more of the pieces of phyllo.
  11. Add half of the filling, spreading it evenly all over the phyllo base. Add spoon by spoon the vegan cheese, roughly spread it and then add the rest off the spinach filling.
  12. Drizzle filling with some olive oil.Cover filling with another 2 sheets of phyllo dough, repeating the exact same process as before.
  13. Gently lay it out over the pie, turn the edges over with your fingers and gently tuck them in all the way around.
  14. Score the surface with a sharp knife and drizzle with some olive oil.
  15. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden and slightly crunchy.
  16. When ready, remove from oven and cut in to pieces.
Notes
9 pieces
Recipe by Enhealthy.com - Delicious & Nutritious at https://www.enhealthy.com/vegan-spanakopita-with-a-beetroot-dough-recipes-starters-sides/