This is a fantastic vegetarian sharing pie and that tastes amazing whilst being lighter than a classic pastry base pie.  Not only that but it looks amazing on the table to share  and eats well both hot and cold.

Serves: 4

What You’ll Need:

• 1 cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 4 tablespoons rapeseed oil
• 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
• 2 aubergines, 2cm dice
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• ½  teaspoon fennel seeds
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 5 in number of each black peppercorn, cloves, green cardamom pods
• 2 curry leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 onion, 1cm dice
• 1 celery stick, 1cm diced
• 100g golden sultanas soaked in 100ml white wine
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
• 50g pine nuts, toasted
• 1 packet filo pastry (225g packet about 8 sheets)
• 80g unsalted butter, melted
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

What To Do:

• First make the pie filling. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. In a large bowl toss the cauliflowers with one tablespoon of oil, seasoning and the curry powder. Spear the cauliflower on a lined baking tray and roast the cauliflowers in the preheated oven for 12 – 15 minutes, until it start to colour and softened.
• In the meantime heat a large saucepan over high heat with 2 tablespoons of the oil, add the aubergines with seasoning and cook until dark golden brown all over, about 8-10 minutes, once dark brown tip the aubergines into a colander over a bowl.
• Return the pan to medium heat with the rest of the oil and add all the spices and curry leaves and cook for one minute, stir in the garlic and continue for 30 seconds, add the onions and celery with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, increase the heat to high cook for 8 minutes, stir regularly, add the roasted cauliflower and return the golden aubergines, cook for further 5 minutes, Add the golden sultanas and wine, chopped tomatoes and stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 – 15 minutes, stir regularly, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the coriander, set the filling aside.
• Grease a 15cm loose base sandwich cake tin.
• Remove the filo pastry from the packet. Place one filo sheet on a clean work surface, with a pastry brush, brush a bit of melted butter over the pastry, place another filo pastry sheet on top, brush more butter and repeat the process with further 4 sheets (this pile will make 6 sheets in total) to form a stack, make a separate stack with the remaining two sheets brush the top of the pastry with melted butter. Lift the 6 layer pastry stack and carefully lay it inside the cake tin with the edges hanging over the rim of the tin. Carefully push the pastry into the tin. Remove the cinnamon stick and curry leaves from the filling and spoon the cooked filling into the lined tin, sprinkle over the pine nuts. Place the last pastry stack on top and now lift the hanging over pastry back over the pie to make a scrunched ‘lid’. It’s meant to look a bit rough.
• Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Rest the pie for 5 minutes before carefully removing the loose base tin, place the pie in the centre of the table and serve with steamed and buttered seasonal greens or a green garden salad.

Martin Dewey from Square Pie, The Gourmet Pie Company shares his summer pie recipes for you to try out at home. For more information visit: www.squarepie.com @SquarePie