Spinach and Tofu Strudel

Christmas in June?

With all my phyllo (filo) dough experimentation, it's beginning to feel like it's holiday season instead of June. This dish, as well as the Tofu-Mushroom Phyllo Parcels I posted last week, would make excellent vegan holiday dishes. These strudels could be made ahead and heated up (around 30 minutes in a hot oven) for a busy day meal. I'd crumble some phyllo sheets over the top during the second bake, since they have a tendency to fall off as the roll is handled. 

We served this with a plate of fried eggplant—or aubergine, depending where you are. The deliciousness was almost too much, for an ordinary Saturday in June.

Directions below.

Spinach and Tofu Strudel

olive oil for frying
2 leeks, sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb spinach leaves, chopped
1 lb Chinese style tofu
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
phyllo pastry sheets
1/4 cup melted margarine

Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, then saute the leeks in olive oil until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Saute until the mushrooms are soft. Remove the leek-mushroom mixture to a bowl, and saute the spinach in a small amount of olive oil for a minute or two.

Meanwhile, place the tofu in a food processor and whiz until smooth. Place the tofu in the bowl with the mushrooms, leeks and spinach, and add the basil, pine nuts and nutmeg. Stir to combine.

On a baking sheet, unroll a piece of phyllo dough, keeping the rest covered with wax paper and a damp towel. Spread melted margarine over the phyllo, then place another sheet on top of this. Repeat until you have 8 sheets of dough stacked with margarine between—no need to add margarine to the last sheet.

Place half the tofu mixture in a log shape on the long end of the phyllo. Tuck the sides in and roll the dough over the mixture.

Repeat with the remaining phyllo and tofu mixture, using a separate baking sheet.

Take a couple of sheets of phyllo and crumble and tear into pieces. Scatter the crumpled pieces over the rolls.

Bake in a preheated 200C/400F oven for 25 minutes, or until the strudel is golden. Transfer to a serving dish or a cutting board to slice, and serve.