Spinach Florentine Stuffed Phyllo Dough

Cheesy Stuffed Phyllo Dough

Today I felt inspired to create a florentine phyllo dough pastry. This was my second time working with phyllo dough and I say it takes practice. Half of my package got destroyed, but this is a learning experience for me. You could make do with tortilla shells or even trying a croissant if you desire. I enjoy the light crispiness of the phyllo, and need my practice. You can find it in the freezer section by the pie crust usually. The cheese substitute I used is sunflower based, and after being trapped and simmered in the dough, tasted just like cream cheese. I impressed myself and now have the idea to make jalapeno poppers in the near future.You can't see it, but trapped behind all that delicious spinach is creamy cheese, tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, and capers. Can you say, "Yes Please!"

4 Phyllo Dough Wrappers (If you find this too thin, may use 8 and double them up)

2 Cups Thawed Frozen Spinach (Drained)

1 Cup Chopped Tomato

1 Cup Chopped Mushrooms (Any Variety)

1 Cup Chopped Asparagus

1/2 Cup Capers

Olive Oil for Basting Dough

1. Fold Phyllo in half and lay on a dry flat surface.
2. Bast with a small amount of olive oil.
3. Assemble 1/4 of the ingredients including cheese sauce.
4. Wrap like burrito.
5. Baste outside with olive oil, flipping over to cover entire pastry. 
6. Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 20-30 minutes, until dough is flaky. Flip over half way through. (Handle with a spatula, this dough is fragile.)

Sunflower Seed "Cheese"

1 Cup Soaked Raw Sunflower Seeds (Soaked 6 hours and drained)

1/2 Cup Filtered Water

1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tbs Lemon Juice

1 Clove Garlic

1/2 Tsp Sea Salt

1 Tbs Nutritional Yeast

Blend all ingredients together and portion inside phyllo dough with remaining ingredients.