Pumpkin filo pie with spinach and pine nuts

Squashes and pumpkins are in season now. They famous for making sweet pie fillings but this is tasty savoury version. It is easy and fun to make and is full of nutritious ingredients including spinach, pine nuts, olive oil and Oat Drink. Vegetarian cheese can be substituted for the goats’ cheese and a little cornflour can thicken the squash/pumpkin puree instead of the egg if you want to make the whole pie dairy free.

Filo pastry can be brushed either with olive oil or melted butter to make it crisp and golden. A good tip is to cover the unoiled filo sheets with a damp tea towel as you work. This stops it drying out.

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

small bunch of fresh sage leaves, stalks removed

4 tbsp Oat Drink

1 large free-range egg

150g goats’ cheese or vegetarian 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 Oat Drink 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. Brush 2 filo sheets with oil, 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 mixture. 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.