Monday, August 17, 2009

CHEESEY RUSTIC VEGAN GREEK-STYLE SAVORY SUMMER SQUASH PIE (VEGAN KRITIKO BOUREKI)

Best Blog Tips
I promised to post this recipe from my newsletter, The Vegan Feast, posted last Thursday, so here it is! You can make this pie with any squash, but the yellow pattypan squash is particularly pretty.

You can make the "Cheesey" components days ahead (links to the recipes in the Ingredient List), if you like, but the Tofu Feta Crumble and Tofu Ricotta are both very quick and easy to make.


Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S RUSTIC VEGAN GREEK-STYLE SAVORY SUMMER SQUASH PIE (VEGAN KRITIKO BOUREKI)
Servings: 8


This is a "rustic" or "freeform" pie, in which you make one large circle of pastry and fold or pleat the excess on the edges up over part of the filling, leaving some showing in the middle.

PS: If you prefer, you can omit the pastry and use 12 sheets of commercial phyllo pastry brushed with olive oil. Use a 12" round baking pan and use 7 sheets on the bottom and 5 on the top.

2 x the recipe for Low-Fat, Crispy Olive Oil Pastry
Filling:
2 lbs. yellow or green or striped pattypan squash and or zucchini, trimmed and sliced 1/4" thick
kosher salt
1 cup Tofu Ricotta or Almond Ricotta
1 cup Quick Tofu Feta Crumble (recipe here)
1/4 cup plain soy yogurt or Tofu Sour Creme (homemade recipe here)
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
oil from a pump sprayer

Layer the squash in a colander, lightly salting each layer with kosher salt. Press the squash down in the colander with a bowl that fits into it, weighed down by a jar of water or some cans. Let it drain for 30 minutes.

Make the pastry and the filling while the squash drains.

For the Filling:

In a medium bowl, mix together the Tofu or Almond Ricotta, the Quick Tofu Feta Crumble, and the soy yogurt or Tofu Sour Creme and set aside.

Rinse the squash and pat dry with a clean tea towel.

To assemble the pie:
Have ready a 14" round pizza pan, sprayed with oil from a pump sprayer.

Roll the pastry out into an 18-20" round (doesn't have to be perfect!). Roll it up around the rolling pin, loosely, and transfer it to the pan by starting at the top of the pan and unrolling the pastry over the pan. Spray the dough with oil from a pump sprayer or brush lightly with olive oil.

Toss most of the squash slices with the flour in a bowl-- leave enough squash slices to decorate the open top (about 6" in diameter) of the pie un-floured.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Layer 1/2 of the floured squash neatly in overlapping circles on the pastry. Dot generously with 1/2 of the ricotta/feta/yogurt mixture, sprinkle with salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of the mint. Repeat the layering. Place the unfloured squash decoratively on top of the last layer of Filling, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and more mint, if you have it.

Carefully bring the edges up around the filling, to make a freeform pie. Pleat the edges of the dough over the filling, leaving about a 6" open circle in the center.


Cover the squash in the open circle (not the pastry) with a circle of foil cut to fit. Spray or brush the outside of the pastry lightly with oil. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the pastry is golden.

Cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving):
295.2 calories; 35% calories from fat; 12.2g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 701.2mg sodium; 499.0mg potassium; 35.4g carbohydrates; 3.2g fiber; 3.6g sugar; 32.2g net carbs; 13.2g protein; 6.3 points.


Enjoy!



8 comments:

Dori said...

This looks awesome. Last year I wasted a pattypan squash because I didn't know what to do with it. This reminds me of the kale & squash tart, but feta cheezy.... YUM!

Søren said...

Mmmm, this looks great, Bryanna. I'll make this myself one of these days.

veggievixen said...

woah. dude.

my mouth is hanging open.

this looks SO beautiful and probably tastes just as good. i love veganizing eastern european recipes. and the flavors--hello!!

Alisa - Frugal Foodie said...

mmm, looks delicious as usual!

The Voracious Vegan said...

Oh my...that looks so gorgeous! I would love to make this to wow my friends, such an impressive looking dish. And I'm sure it tastes just as good as it looks. Thank you for the recipe!

Debra said...

It looks gorgeous! I can't wait to try it.

Mike M said...

Hi! If you use phyllo dough, do you leave a hole on the top to layer the squash and cheese? Thanks!

Bryanna Clark Grogan said...

Yes, Mike M.