Butternut and spinach phyllo pie

Ooh I’ve got a goodie for you today. I love working with phyllo pastry – once you get the hang of it, it’s surprisingly simple to use, and the crisp, golden crunch it delivers is fabulous. Here, spiced butternut is roasted and caramelised to bring out its depth of flavour, combined with sautéed spinach and creamy chevin, and encased in flaky, delicate pastry. It’s absolutely delicious, looks impressive but is wonderfully unfussy to make.

The magic of this butternut pie lies in the contrast of textures and flavours. The richness of the cheese melts into the veggies, while the phyllo bakes into light, shatteringly crisp layers that hold everything together. I added warming cumin and chilli powder, and a touch of garlic to make each bite utterly scrumptious.

This is also a brilliant vegetarian option that doesn’t feel like a compromise – hearty, satisfying and full of flavour. Serve it with fresh salad or roasted veggies and settle in for a warming, comforting meal with plenty of crunch.

BUTTERNUT & SPINACH PHYLLO PIE

Servings: 4
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Filling

1 kg butternut cubes (about 3 cm)
30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil + extra for frying
10 ml (2 tsp) ground cumin
5 ml (1 tsp) chilli powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
5 ml (1 tsp) fresh thyme leaves
200 g baby spinach leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
100 g plain chevin

Phyllo

5 sheets of phyllo pastry
50 g butter, melted

1.) Preheat the oven to 200ºC and line a baking tray. Place the butternut in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, cumin and chilli. Season well with salt and pepper and toss everything together. Arrange on the tray and roast for 30 minutes until just cooked and starting to caramelise. Set aside to cool.

2.) While the butternut is roasting, heat some olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and cook gently for 8 – 10 minutes to soften. Add the thyme, spinach and garlic, and continue to cook until the spinach has wilted. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool slightly.

3.) Place the butternut and onion mixture in a bowl, and gently toss together. Break the chevin into small chunks and gently fold through. Set aside.

4.) Preheat the oven to 190ºC and grease a 20 cm round oven dish. Brush a sheet of pastry with butter and lay it in the dish, butter side down, with the edges hanging over the sides. Repeat with the remaining sheets of pastry, rotating them slightly each time so that they’re not laid directly on top of each other.

5.) Spoon the filling into the dish, then fold the overhanging pastry up and over the filling to cover it, scrunching it as you do. Brush the remaining butter over the top.

6.) Bake the pie for 30-35 minutes or until the phyllo is golden and crispy.