Vegan Spanakopita!

I realize putting "vegan" in front of anything on this blog is sort of moot but sometimes I feel like I really have to drive it home with certain foods that most people who assume just can never be vegan.
I realized today that I have never made spanakopita and that really got me excited because sometimes I feel like I have made all there is to make and then some.
The end result was exceptionally delicious thanks to the use of FRESH spinach and not frozen. Yeah I know, frozen spinach is cheaper and less time consuming but the taste is what I can only describe as "BLEGH". I always know when I am eating something with frozen spinach and I would rather spend 10 more minutes and a couple more bucks to get product that is far superior in taste and texture. You won't regret it either.

Fresh spinach, garlic, cashews and miso combined into a creamy, spinach-cheesey spread cooked inbetween layers of flaky pastry.

Spanakopita
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 small white onion, small dice
1 small russet potato, skin on, small dice (1 cup)
8 oz extra firm tofu, drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp nutmeg
16 oz fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup roasted cashews
2 tbl nutritional yeast
1 heaping tbl white miso
salt and pepper
1 phyllo roll, thawed

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease an 8x8 casserole dish.
Sweat the onion and potato in olive oil for 5-7 minutes until the potato is almost cooked through. Season with salt, pepper and add the tofu, garlic and nutmeg. Cook for 5-7 more minutes. Add the spinach and broth and cook until wilted. You will probably have to do this in batches of handfuls, cooking down some spinach with a bit of broth and then adding more. Make sure the potato is fully cooked and remove from the heat.
Combine the cashews, nutritional yeast and miso in a food processor and pulse into fine granules.
Add the spinach mixture, season with salt and pepper and pulse a few times into a grainy spread.
Layer 6 sheets of phyllo, alternating directions in the casserole dish. Brush with olive oil. Spread half of the mixture in the dish. Layer 6 more sheets, alternating directions and brush with olive oil. Pour in the remaining spinach mix and top with 6 more layers. Brush with olive oil and cut off any excess phyllo sheets that might hang off the side.
Cut 9 slices (3x3) into the spanakopita and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and crispy.