Vegan Kasha Phyllo Pie

From Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

 Printable Recipe Not the quickest recipe to make, but worth the effort


Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Cooling time: 10 minutes

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

Filling:

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, small diced

1 stalk celery, small diced

½ lb/225g cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

½ cup dried wild mushrooms, rehydrated in boiling water.  Reserve the water to add to the vegetable broth

1 small carrot, grated

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 tsp ground coriander

1 ¼ cup whole roasted kasha/buckwheat groats

2 ¼ cups vegetable broth, heated to almost boiling

Salt & pepper to taste

1 cup sauerkraut, well drained of excess liquid

Phyllo: 

1 (16oz) pkg frozen phyllo dough, thawed according to package directions.

1/3 cup olive oil for brushing

Directions:

Filling:

1.      Heat the olive oil in a 3quart/liter saucepan over medium heat and add the onion & celery.  Stir-fry until the vegetables are slightly soft (5 minutes).  Add the mushrooms (fresh and drained rehydrated)  and cook until most of the mushroom liquid is evaporated (6-8 minutes).  Add the grated carrot, and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes.

2.      Add the caraway seeds, coriander, salt, pepper and kasha.  Stir to coat the kasha.  Pour in the hot vegetable broth (mixed with reserved mushroom liquid).  Bring the mixture to a boil, lower heat to low and simmer, covered for 12-15 minutes.  Until the liquid is absorbed and the kasha is tender. 

Prepare phyllo & pie:

3.      Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.  Lightly oil a medium casserole dish.  Set up your workstation…clean damp towel on cutting board; stack of phyllo covered with plastic wrap and draped with another damp towel.

4.      Lay a sheet of phyllo on the work area. Quickly brush with olive oil and layer another sheet.  Repeat 5 times.  Fold entire oiled stack in half and press into the bottom of the casserole to form a bottom crust.  Push up the edges of the dough along sides to form the sides of the pie.

5.      Press half the kasha mixture onto the dough.  Spread the well-drained sauerkraut over the kasha and sprinkle with a little freshly ground pepper.  Top with the rest of the kasha mixture and spread evenly.

6.      To form the top crust, repeat the layering, folding the phyllo as for the bottom.  Press onto the kasha. Fold any hanging edges into the sides of the pie.

7.      Brush the top with a little more olive oil and bake for 30-35 minutes until the phyllo is puffed and golden. 

8.      Cool for 10 minutes before serving and cut the pieces with a very sharp, serrated, thin knife.