GREEK PUMPKIN PIE

Pumpkin pie often brings to mind a sweet Thanksgiving dessert, best eaten under a generous cloud of cream. Chris Sherville takes it in a different direction with this savoury Greek-inspired version: roasted pumpkin or squash, warming spices, chickpeas, almonds and herbs, all tucked into crisp, golden filo. A little honey and mint finish it beautifully. It’s a lovely way to make the most of a squash harvest, and just as welcome for lunch as it is at supper.

I’ve left out the feta mentioned in your draft because it isn’t in the recipe ingredients.

600 g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

200 ml olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 banana shallots, sliced

75 g almonds, toasted in a dry pan and roughly chopped

50 g raisins or sultanas, soaked in boiling water for 5–6 minutes and drained

100 g tinned chickpeas, drained

2 tbsp lemon juice

A good handful of fresh coriander, chopped

1 tbsp sesame seeds

6 sheets filo pastry

2 tbsp honey, preferably Greek

A little finely shredded mint, to finish

Salt and black pepper

Heat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / gas mark 5.

Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan until fragrant. Grind them in a pestle and mortar, or crush them with the end of a rolling pin on a wooden board.

Mix the ground seeds with the cinnamon, ground cumin, paprika and 3 tbsp of the olive oil. Toss the squash in the spiced oil, spread it in a roasting tin and roast for about 30 minutes, until soft and caramelised at the edges.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan. Fry the shallots until they start to turn golden. Add the garlic and cook for another 3–4 minutes, stirring so it doesn’t catch.

Add the roasted squash, almonds, raisins and chickpeas. Mash to a coarse mixture, then season with the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped coriander.

Brush a 20cm x 5cm deep tart tin with olive oil. Lay in a sheet of filo and brush lightly with oil. Add another sheet, turning it so the corners are offset, and brush with oil. Gently gather the overhanging pastry into a crown around the tin. Repeat with two more sheets.

Spoon the squash mixture into the pastry case and level it gently, taking care not to tear the filo. Lay a sheet of filo over the top, tucking it around the sides and gathering the excess into the crown. Brush lightly with oil, then repeat with the final sheet.

Brush the top and pastry crown lightly with olive oil, scatter over the sesame seeds and bake for about 20 minutes, until golden. Keep an eye on it after 15 minutes.

Leave to rest for 15–20 minutes. Serve warm, drizzled with honey and finished with shredded mint.

Chris recommends butternut squash for its flavour, but you can experiment with other varieties. Serve with bread and salad, and enjoy the compliments.

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