HO! HO! HO!

I've been meaning to post this for at least a week but computer glitches and phone-line overload have prevented that from happening. I will keep my fingers crossed as I type, save and (hopefully!) publish this entry.

I prepared a special vegan Spanikopita for a client's Christmas Eve party last week. I was dying to cut into it, but had to restrain myself for presentation sake.

I consider making Spanikopita a Zen-like experience. It's one of those foods that you need to 1) be patient with and 2) make while listening to good music (I chose Abba's Greatest Hits to sing along to).

Start with a hefty amount of fresh dill and parsley. Chop until they are itty bitty little shreds and the pile is half the size as when you started. [NOTE: It helps to have "Dancing Queen" playing while you do this.]

Combine in a large bowl with a big bag of spinach and your tofu, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and nutritional yeast mixture. Then get ready to prepare the layers of filo.

Lay about 12 sheets of filo in an oiled baking pan, spreading each sheet generously with olive oil. Then spread the filling in evenly and lay another 12 oiled layers of filo on top.

Be sure to score the surface with a knife so that the pieces won't crumble after you cut into it once it's baked. This baby gets covered with foil then gets popped into a preheated 375 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 and cook uncovered for about 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

I had to take mine out a little early since it was going to be heated a second time for the party and I didn't want it to get too browned and crumbly. But it still looked pretty tempting.

Dessert was a chocolate cake with Godiva liquor between layers topped by a chocolate raspberry tofu cream and garnished with some pretty little craisins and mint leaves. Alas, it's a sad affair not to be able to dig right in...