Vegan Filo Pie filled with Soy Flakes, Pomegranate, Almonds, and Thyme
I love the change of seasons, especially the transition from summer to autumn.
There's something magical to me about it still being warm outside, but the oppressive humidity is gone and the evenings start to get a bit chilly.
(Anyone who rides a scooter can feel it well.)
You can still go to the beach to watch the sunset.
There are still beautiful summer fruits in the supermarkets.
But there's a certain different atmosphere in the air.
Something new and magical is slowly creeping in.
I saw the squills blooming. It's always so moving.
I'm sitting here now writing this post at the dining table, all the windows are open, and a pleasant breeze is coming into the house—the kind that is unique to this time at the end of summer and the beginning of the High Holidays.
On the holiday eve, we are invited to Amir's aunt's house, where we'll sit in the beautiful garden under the large trees and start the new year with a variety of delicious traditional festive dishes.
I plan on bringing a vegan filo pie stuffed with soy flakes and pomegranate. It's a sweet, impressive, and festive dish that doesn't require a ton of work.
Imagine a warm pastry with layer upon layer of very thin, crispy dough and a sweet filling of soy flakes, pomegranate, almonds, and thyme.
The taste of autumn.
The taste of Israel.
A bit about Vegan Filo Pie
I buy the filo sheets and thaw them in advance (I use "Maadanot" brand filo sheets, who also participated in the preparation of this post).
I especially like filo sheets because they contain only flour and water and very little fat (and definitely no margarine), which means I can control the amount of fat myself.
I made the filling from soy flakes which I didn't soak at all—I simply added them to the sauce I prepared, and they soaked up all the flavors.
The base of the sauce is grated carrot and crushed tomatoes. You can replace the carrot with any root vegetable you like, such as beets, kohlrabi, or even potatoes.
The crushed tomatoes can be replaced with eggplant salad, vegan yogurt, or any sauce you prefer.
To provide a pleasant tartness, I used a tablespoon of sumac, and for a gentle hint of spice, I used a teaspoon of hot paprika.
You can substitute the sumac with lemon and the hot paprika with sweet red paprika.
To give the sauce a unique pomegranate flavor, I used pomegranate concentrate, which is a syrup found in the sauce aisle of the supermarket. To balance the characteristic sourness of the pomegranate, I added a bit of Silan (date syrup). After all, we want the year to be sweet.
Nutritional values by Clinical Dietitian and Fitness Coach Noam Bachar:
One slice out of 10 of a vegan filo pie (approx. 110g) contains:
- 137 Calories
- 7.3g Protein
- 16.5g Carbohydrates
- 6g Fat
Leftover filo dough? How about a cinnamon cookie?
Vegan Filo Pie
Filled with soy flakes, pomegranate, almonds, and thyme
Ingredients
- 5 sheets of Maadanot Filo Dough 150g
For the Filling
- 1/4 cup olive oil 50 ml
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 1 grated carrot
- 200 g crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp hot paprika
- a little salt
- 1 level tbsp sumac
- 1 cup soy flakes 100g
- 1 tbsp pomegranate concentrate
- 1 tbsp Silan (date syrup)
- some fresh thyme leaves (stems removed)
- 1 tbsp blanched slivered almonds
Instructions
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Thaw the filo sheets according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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Sauté the onion with a little olive oil until translucent.
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Add the grated carrot and sauté for about 2-3 minutes.
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Add the garlic and sauté for another minute or two, stirring constantly.
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Add the sumac, paprika, and salt, and stir well.
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Add the crushed tomatoes and stir.
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Add the soy flakes and mix well until all the sauce is incorporated and absorbed into the soy.
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Add the Silan, pomegranate concentrate, and some of the thyme leaves, mix well, and remove from the heat.
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Preheat the oven to 180°C.
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Open the package of Maadanot filo dough.
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Lay the filo sheets on a work surface and grease the top sheet with a brush.
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Using your hands, take the filo sheet and line a round baking pan, with the edges of the dough hanging over the sides of the pan.
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Place another layer of filo sheet and grease it thoroughly as well.
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Place a third of the filling on top of the filo sheets.
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Sprinkle some almonds and a few thyme leaves.
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Place another layer of filo sheet, press down gently with your hands, and grease with olive oil.
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Repeat the process until all the filling is used.
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Grease the final filo sheet well and fold the hanging edges inward, making sure to grease each layer well as you fold.
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Brush with a little pomegranate concentrate diluted with a bit of water and sprinkle some almonds on top.
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Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
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Before serving, brush with a little more pomegranate concentrate and sprinkle with more almonds, thyme, and pomegranate seeds.
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Once cooled, the pie will set slightly and become easier to slice.
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Can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
