Spinach "Cheesy" Filo Triangles
By Terry Hope Romero author, Salad Samurai
Make any party worthy of the gods with these crisp little triangles stuffed with classic Greek-style spinach goodness and a simple, zesty cashew cheese. Frozen, thawed organic chopped spinach is a great shortcut for even easier apps!
Make sure to really squeeze the thawed spinach! Remove as much water as possible for a flavorful filling that won’t get soggy as the triangles cool.
Cashew Feta Cheese ingredients:
1 cup unroasted, raw cashews
1/2 cup hot water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white miso
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 sheets thawed frozen phyllo dough
Olive oil, plenty of it (at least 2/3 cup), for brushing
2 tablespoons sesame seed
Ingredients:
1 pound frozen organic spinach, thawed and squeezed
1 cup chopped fresh dill
4 scallions, green and white parts, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Empty the bag of frozen spinach into a colander over the sink or a bowl. Rinse with cold water and set aside to thaw for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cover the cashews with hot water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain the cashews but reserve the soaking water. Pulse the cashews in a food processor along with the lemon juice, olive oil, miso, pepper, and a tablespoon or more of soaking water until it’s a thick paste similar in texture to hummus. Taste and season with a little more miso if desired.
3. When the spinach has thawed (no ice crystals remain), firmly squeeze by the handful to remove as much water as possible. Transfer to a mixing bowl, and stir in the chopped herbs and the salt. Then fold in the cashew cheese.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Unroll phyllo dough and cover with plastic wrap or a damp, clean dish towel to keep it moist – you don’t want it to dry out. When ready to assemble triangles, take 1 sheet of dough and generously brush with olive oil. Slice the sheet into three long strips. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of filling onto the base of each strip, and fold each strip upwards to create a triangle. Brush the tops of the three triangles generously with olive oil and transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
5. Just before baking, sprinkle the tops with a little bit of sesame seeds. Bake triangles for 25-30 minutes or until golden and puffy. Remove from oven, cool for a minute or two, but for best flavor serve triangles hot.
6. If you love to freeze stuff, assemble triangles, arrange in a single layer, and freeze. Pop into plastic bags, seal well, and use within two months for the best flavor.
