Holistic Chef Eddie's Tip of the Day #41

I love my Jewish heritage, its culture, its traditions and especially the food.  Can you blame me?  I love to eat and the food is incredible.  The trick is turning Jewish cuisine into healthy cuisine.  I am featuring a KASHA & PORCINi MUSHROOM KNISH.  For those who are unfamiliar with this dish, a knish is a filling surrounded by a dough.  The dough is usually a puff pastry but I like to use Filo dough, which are very thin sheets of whole wheat.  They are as thin as paper.  The filling ranges from meat, potatoes, kasha (buckwheat) and many other things that any creative cook can dream of.  In this recipe I am definitely making it healthy.  It is Vegetarian but you can make it Vegan very easily by eliminating the egg and substitute melted Vegan buttery spread or spray with Olive Oil.  These foods are dear to my heart because they also came with my Grandmother and folks like her who came to the United States around the turn of the 20th century from Eastern Europe.  Having been so oppressed just for being a Jew, many Jewish people flocked to America and brought their culture with them.  I am so grateful to have such a rich history and many wonderful memories and hope you enjoy this delicious delight.  It comes from the heart.

 KASHA & PORCINI MUSHROOM KNISH

1/2 cup Kasha (Buckwheat Groats)
2 1/2 cups Water
2 medium Sweet Onions
3 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 package dry Porcini Mushrooms
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray
1/4 cup julienne Sun Dried Tomatoes (thin strips)
Whole Wheat Filo Dough
1 - Egg (or use Olive Spray or Vegan Buttery Spread)
2 Tablespoons Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme (or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh Thyme)
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

1)  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bring 2 1/2 cups Water to a boil and add the Kasha.  Turn to simmer and cook for 10 minutes.  Fluff with a fork.  Set aside.
2)  Slice the Onions thin and in a small bowl pour the Olive Oil over them and stir making sure all Onions are coated.  Place them in a skillet and cook them over medium heat until brown and caramelized.  
3)  After the Onions are cooked drain them over a strainer and save the oil for another use.  Chop the Onions and add to the Kasha. 
4)  Soak the Porcini Mushrooms in warm water for 10 minutes.  Drain them, chop them and add to the Kasha.  Add the julienne Sun Dried Tomatoes, Thyme, Pepper and Braggs Liquid Amino and stir.  Set aside.
5)  WORKING QUICKLY, spread the Filo Dough on a cutting board or a flat surface.  Spray the Filo lightly with Olive Oil Spray.  Cut the Filo into 4 sections (cut first in half top to bottom; cut again the 2 sections in half top to bottom; finally cut all 4 sections in half, side to side)
6)  Beat the egg in a bowl and set aside.  Place 2 Tablespoons of the Kasha mixture in the center of one of the Filo sections.  Bring up one corner of the Filo and fold it over the mixture and spray it with the Olive Spray.  Bring the other corner up and spray it also with the spray.  Continue to bring all corners up until the mixture is completely covered with the Filo, and shape it into a round form (the shape of a hockey puck).  
7)  Place on a non-stick baking pan and brush all over the sides and top with the Egg (or Vegan choice).  Bake for 20 minutes and serve golden brown and warm.  Sorry don't know how to express how delicious these morsels are.  I'm beyond words.  ​TOTALLY VERKLEMPT.