Ingredients
Cashew Cheese Filling
- 130 g / 1 cup cashews or sunflower seeds, soaked overnight
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 45 ml / 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for the cheese mixture)
- 12 g / 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
Vegetables and Herbs
- 300 g / 10.5 oz baby spinach
- 6 small spring onions / scallions
- 1 tbsp chopped dill
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- A generous grind of black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for frying spring onions)
Additional Ingredients
- 1½ cups cooked chickpeas (from a tin or jar)
- ½ cup coarse breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 sheet vegan puff pastry
- Vegan egg wash: 2 tsp plant milk, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp maple syrup or sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame or poppy seeds (to decorate)
Instructions
- Soak Nuts: Soak cashews or sunflower seeds in cold water overnight to soften them for the cashew cheese filling.
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C / 355°F fan). Line a baking tray with baking paper. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven to preheat to ensure crispy bottoms on your rolls.
- Make Cashew Cheese: Drain the soaked nuts and place them in a food processor with lemon juice, zest, 2 tbsp olive oil, garlic, nutritional yeast, and salt. Process until creamy and smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Prepare Spring Onions: Remove dark green tops from spring onions and save for another use. Chop the white and light green parts, then pan-fry in 1 tbsp olive oil until softened.
- Blanch Spinach: Quickly blanch spinach in simmering water for 20 seconds, then transfer to a bowl of cold water. Drain and squeeze out excess water thoroughly. Chop finely.
- Soften Pastry: Remove vegan puff pastry from the fridge about 10 minutes before assembling to make it more pliable.
- Combine Filling: In a bowl, mix chopped spinach, cashew cheese, pan-fried spring onions, cooked chickpeas, dill, parsley, breadcrumbs, black pepper, and additional salt if needed.
- Divide Pastry: Cut the pastry sheet widthwise into two equal rectangles (about 23 cm x 18 cm each).
- Assemble Rolls: Place half of the filling lengthwise in a long ‘snake’ in the middle of each pastry rectangle.
- Seal Rolls: Fold the pastry over the filling and pinch the edges to seal. Flip the rolls seam side down gently.
- Cut Portions: Cut each roll into smaller segments, about five two-inch pieces each.
- Glaze and Decorate: Brush rolls with vegan egg wash and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds and a pinch of coarse salt.
- Bake: Arrange rolls on the lined tray, place on the preheated pizza stone or tray, and bake for about 25 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.
Notes
- Ensure to squeeze out as much water as possible from the spinach to prevent soggy filling.
- Soaking nuts overnight softens them for a creamy texture in the cheese mixture.
- Using a pizza stone helps keep the pastry bottoms crisp, but a sturdy metal tray works as well.
- For gluten-free versions, use gluten-free puff pastry and breadcrumbs.
- The vegan egg wash adds color and helps the seeds stick to the pastry.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus overnight soaking)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Plant-based
- Diet: Vegan
