These tasty little pies create a great light lunch. They can be fiddly to make, but freeze well and should be reheated in the oven rather than the microwave.
Serves: Six
Time: One hour 30 minutes, plus refrigeration
Ingredients
- 900g butternut pumpkin, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup (125ml) pouring cream
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh sage
- 75g feta cheese
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
Spicy Pastry
- 1 1/2 (225g) plain flour
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 125g cold butter, roughly chopped
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons ice water
Method
Preheat oven to 220ºC. Line an oven tray with baking paper.
Place pumpkin and garlic onto tray and drizzle with olive oil. Place in oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until soft. Remove garlic from its skin and place in large bowl with pumpkin. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Mash pumpkin and garlic with a fork. Stir in the eggs, cream and sage. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
While pumpkin is roasting, make your pastry.
Spicy Pastry
In a food processor, blend flour, spices and butter until crumbly. Add in the egg yolk and most of the water. Process again until ingredients just come together. You may add a tiny bit more water. Wrap pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Grease six 9cm x 12cm oval pie tins. Dividing the dough into six portions, roll each piece between two sheets of baking paper, big enough to cover tin. Lift pastry into tin and press down to line. Trim excess. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Reduce the oven temp to 200ºC. Place tins on a baking tray and cover with baking paper, filling with dried beans or rice to prevent shrinking. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove beans or rice and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Allow to cool.
Divide pumpkin mixture among the cooled pastries and sprinkle over with the crumbled feta and pine nuts.
Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until set and golden.
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