Squashes and pumpkins are in season now and are famous for making sweet pie fillings. This is a tasty, easy to make savoury version. It is full of nutritious ingredients like spinach, pine nuts and olive oil. Filo pastry can be brushed with olive oil or melted butter to make it crisp and golden. Just a note - 750g is a small butternut squash which is what I used for this recipe.
Ingredients
750g pumpkin or squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, left whole, unpeeled
2 tbsp of olive oil plus extra to brush on the filo pastry (or use melted butter)
small bunch of fresh sage leaves, stalks removed
4 tbsp milk
1 large free-range egg
150g goats’ cheese, crumbled or cut into small pieces
250g spinach
zest of 1 small lemon
35g pine nuts, toasted
10-12 filo pastry sheets
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C.You will need a loose bottom cake tin measuring approximately 20cm across and 7cm high.
Place the pumpkin/squash and garlic into a roasting tray. Drizzle with the 2 tbsp olive oil and mix well. Roast for 25 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown around the edges. Remove the pumpkin/squash from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/fan160°C
Squeeze the garlic out of the skins and place in a food processor together with the baked squash and sage leaves. Season with pepper and salt and then liquidise until smooth. Cool slightly, add the milk and egg, then process again to combine the ingredients thoroughly.
Briefly steam the spinach until it wilts. Allow to cool a little and press out as much liquid as you can. Place the spinach, cheese, lemon zest, pine nuts and seasoning in a bowl and mix well.
Brush the base and sides of the cake tin with olive oil or melted butter. Brush 2 filo sheets with oil/melted butter, then overlap side by side in the base of the cake tin so they drape over the sides. Spoon in half the pumpkin mixture and smooth over the base. Oil another 2 filo sheets, layering them as before, then scatter half the cheese mixture evenly on top. Repeat the layers with more oiled filo and the remaining pumpkin and cheese mixtures. Fold the overhanging pastry over to completely cover the filling.
Crumple any remaining filo sheets over the top of the pie and brush with oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and crisp. Allow the pie to cool slightly before removing it from the tin and placing the pie on a board, slice and serve.
Served with a crisp mixed salad.