Serves 4-5 people

Ingredients

For the Spinach Filling

3 lbs baby spinach
1 lb mix wild mushrooms (oyster, trumpet, beech, etc) or cremini, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 medium onion, thin sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup sherry wine
1 cup cashew cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch chili flakes
12 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
Olive oil

For the Cashew “cheese”

1 1/2 cups raw cashews
1 cup water
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini
½ cup nutritional yeast flakes (Do not Brewer’s Yeast)
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Spinach Pie

1.    Heat large pan on medium. Sauté the spinach with some olive oil and a bit of water until just wilted, you’ll have to do make a couple of batches. Lay out cooked spinach on a tray so that it cools to room temperature. After the spinach has cooled, squeeze out as much water as you can. A colander can also help.

2.    Sauté the onion and garlic in pan until aromatic, add mushrooms until browned. De-glaze with sherry.

3.    Add mushroom mix, spinach and cashew cheese in bowl and mix together. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

4.    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with some olive oil.

5.    Unroll the phyllo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with waxed paper and a damp towel so it doesn’t dry out and become brittle. Using a sharp knife, cut the phyllo into 3 by 11 inch strips, and cover again with the towel. Use a pastry brush to brush a strip of phyllo with olive oil. Place a small spoonful of spinach filling 1 inch from the end of the pastry. Fold the end over the filling to form a triangle, and then continue to fold up the strip in triangles, like folding up a flag. Continue with remaining strips of dough, placing filled triangles on the baking sheet and keeping them covered with a towel until all are ready to bake.

6.    Brush the triangles lightly with olive oil, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Serve hot. (These may be frozen before baking, layering waxed paper between layers of triangles to keep them from sticking. Bake frozen triangles an extra 10 minutes.)

7.    Variation: Oil a 9 by 13 inch baking pan, and spread 6 sheets of phyllo, brushing each with olive oil, on the bottom. Spoon the spinach filling over the phyllo, then cover with 6 more sheets of phyllo, brushing oil on each sheet. Score the top 3 sheets with a sharp knife. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until top is golden, let stand 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm.

For the Cashew “cheese”

1.    Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. You will need to continuously stop the blender to scrape and mix thoroughly as the “cheese” will be thick. You may add extra water if you’d like a thinner “cheese” sauce.

2.    Transfer to a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use or for up to 5 days.

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