Rustic Phyllo Vegetable Pie

Name: Rustic Phyllo Vegetable Pie
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings.
Ingredients: 1 large egg, lightly beaten; 2 cups cooked long grain rice; 1 cup 1% cottage cheese; 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel; 1 medium onion, chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 packages (10 ounces each) fresh spinach, torn; 1/2 cup golden raisins; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 12 sheets phyllo dough (14 inches x 9 inches); Butter-flavored cooking spray; 1-1/2 cups meatless spaghetti sauce

Phyllo dough creates a delicate crispy crust for this colorful veggie pie. “It’s the blend of sweet and savory that especially adds interest,” says Peggy Gwillim from Strasbourg, Saskatchewan.

Ingredients

1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 cups cooked long grain rice
1 cup 1% cottage cheese
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 packages (10 ounces each) fresh spinach, torn
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 sheets phyllo dough (14 inches x 9 inches)
Butter-flavored cooking spray
1-1/2 cups meatless spaghetti sauce

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the egg, rice, cottage cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella, lemon juice and peel; set aside. In a Dutch oven, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add spinach, raisins, cinnamon and salt. Cook and stir until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in remaining mozzarella.
Spritz one sheet of phyllo dough with butter-flavored spray. Place in a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate coated with cooking spray, allowing short sides of dough to hang over edges. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.)
Place remaining phyllo sheets in pie plate in a crisscross fashion resembling the spokes of a wheel, spritzing between layers with butter-flavored spray. Spread half of rice mixture into crust; layer with half of spinach mixture and half of spaghetti sauce. Repeat layers.
Gently fold edges of dough over filling, leaving center of pie uncovered. Spritz with butter-flavored spray. Cover loosely with foil; bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until filling reaches 160°. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.