Mushroom Cottage Pie



This is truly a dish where the picture does not even come close to letting you know how great it tastes. The combination of the vegetables, cheeses and seasoning is just stupendous—plus you get the crispy phyllo shell.

Ingredients:
2 cups low fat cottage cheese
4 teaspoons herbs de Provence, divided
1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1/3 to ½ cup shredded mozzarella, provolone, Muenster or Swiss cheese
½ cup egg substitute
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups mushrooms (any kind—I’m using a mix of shitake and cremini)
1 cup chopped leeks
¼ cup chopped fennel bulb
1 cup dark leafy greens (like Swiss chard or spinach), chopped
6 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
Cooking spray
1/3 cup tomato sauce

Directions: Drain the cottage cheese in a fine mesh sieve placed over a bowl for 30 minutes. Discard the liquid and place the drained cottage cheese in a food processor, along with 2 teaspoons of herbs de Provence, the ½ cup parmesan, the salt and the pepper. Pulse until smooth. Remove the mixture to a bowl and add the shredded mozzarella and egg substitute. Set aside while you get everything else together.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the mushrooms, leeks, fennel and the remaining 2 teaspoons of herbs de Provence. If the veggies seem to be too dry while they are cooking, just add a few Tablespoons of water to them.  Once the veggies are fragrant and soft (about 10 minutes), add in the leafy greens and cook until the greens wilt. Remove the pan from the heat and let come to room temperature. Drain off any excess liquid.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a 9 inch pie plate on a baking sheet and coat the pie pan with cooking spray. Remove one sheet of phyllo (keeping the rest moist under damp paper towels) and place it in the pie pan with the edges over hanging. Spray with cooking spray and turn the pie pan slightly. Repeat with the remaining phyllo dough sheets. Mix the veggies into the cottage cheese mixture and pour it into the phyllo dough shell. Drizzle the tomato sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan. Fold up the edges of the phyllo dough. Spray the newly exposed edges of the phyllo with cooking spray and place the baking sheet in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center only jiggles slightly when gently jostled. Remove from the oven and let cool 20 minutes before slicing into wedges.