Recipes

Spinach Borag with Fillo Dough

(Spanakhov Borag)

Ingredients:

1 package fillo dough (16 oz.)

1/2 cup vegetable oil, for brushing

1 cup tofu, crumbled

2 cups chopped mushrooms

1 large onion, chopped (about a cup)

1 bunch fresh spinach, chopped

2-3 tablespoons pine nuts

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons soy sauce

black and red pepper

Preparing the filling: Chop onion and mushrooms, put in a large frying pan, and sauté for several minutes until onions are softened. Now add 1/4 cup vegetable oil, stir, and cook for a few minutes until mushrooms and onions are cooked. Next, add the chopped spinach and sauté for several minutes until spinach is limp. Add crumbled tofu, pine

nuts, parsley and all other spices, and stir frequently.

In another bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of cold water. Add this to the pot mixture and stir for several minutes until the mixture becomes creamy and sticky. Shut heat, and allow to cool.

Preparing the borag: Take a 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish, brush it with vegetable oil, and set it aside. Open the fillo dough on a flat surface. Take half of the package of fillo first, and cover the other half because fillo dough dries very quickly. Placing 1 layer at a time in the tray, brush it all over with olive or vegetable oil and continue layering and brushing until the half package is finished, layered and brushed. Take the cooled filling and spread it all around the top of the fillo dough, covering the entire surface. Next, take the other half of the fillo dough, open it up, and start placing each sheet on top of the filling, brushing each sheet as it is placed on the filling. Continue until the fillo dough is finished. 

Cut the borag into 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch squares. When finished, bake in a 350° pre-heated oven and bake until golden brown, about an hour.

Makes 15 squares. Serve hot and use as an appetizer or as a main dish. As a main dish, serves 5-7. As an appetizer, 7-12.

Walnut and red pepper 

paste spread 

(Mouhamara)

Ingredients:

2 cups walnuts, chopped

½ cup red pepper paste (found in Middle Eastern grocers)

½ cup bread crumbs

½ cup olive oil

4 tablespoons minced onion

2-3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

(Middle Eastern grocers)

2-3 tablespoons cumin

½ teaspoon dry basil

1-2 tablespoons pine nuts, for decoration ¼ cup water

salt and black pepper as desired

Chop walnuts in a blender or food processor, then add bread crumbs, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, pepper paste, all spices and water, and blend well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put in a serving dish and decorate with pine nuts.

Makes 2 to 2½ cups of spread. Serve with cut vegetables, such as cucumbers, celery, carrots, or with breads--toasted pita bread or crackers. Can also be used as a spread in a sandwich with grilled vegetables.

Serves 4-6.

Grilled Eggplant & Red 

Bell Pepper Dip

(Khorovas suhmpoog yev gahrmeer 

buhghbegh tatkhodz) 

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant

2 large red bell peppers

2 cloves garlic

juice of ½ lemon

salt and pepper

Put eggplant and red bell peppers in sepa-rate broiling trays, and place under broiler until skins are burnt. Be sure to turn until all sides are charbroiled. Remove eggplant and peppers from broiler, and allow to cool for several minutes. Peel off all burnt skin from the eggplant and peppers. Cut pepper in half and remove all seeds. Chop the eggplant and the peppers into large pieces, and put into a blender or food processor. Add lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper, and blend for several seconds. Put dip in a medium-sized bowl and serve with pita bread or any kind of favorite chips.

Can be used as a dip, or as a side (with any kind of starchy dish).

As a dip, serves 4-8. As a side dish, serves 2-4.

Lasagna with Eggplant,

Mushroom, and Tofu

(Tavah macaronee suhmpoog tofu yev

uhspoonkov)

Ingredients:

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes

1 16-oz. package vegetarian lasagna

pasta

4-5 cloves garlic

2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce

3 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms

2 1/2 cups Tofu, crumbled

1/2 cup olive oil

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon oregano

salt, black or red pepper to taste

1-1/2 - 2 large eggplants

1 large onion, chopped (1-1-1/2 cups)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Prepare stuffing/sauce: Chop all vegetables and then sauté onion until soft, then add garlic and eggplant, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and olive oil, and when everything is cooked, crumble tofu with bottom of fork and add it, together with tomato sauce and all other spices, to the pot. Cook

for about 30 minutes. When the sauce is cooked, shut heat.

Assemble lasagna: Take a baking dish (Pyrex or other), 13 x 10 x 2, and spread some sauce on the bottom of the dish. Take cooked lasagna pasta and layer it. Use 4-5 strips to cover the bottom of the dish. Add

some stuffing, spreading evenly. Add another layer, and cover with stuffing/sauce. Continue to layer with sauce in this way until the pasta is finished. Leave some sauce to use now to cover the top layer.

Preheat oven to 350° and bake 30-35 minutes. When cooked, remove from oven, cut into medium sized squares, and serve with a green salad.

Serves 4-6.