LEEK & GLOBE ARTICHOKE PIE

Leek & globe artichoke pie image

Make this Greek-inspired pie as a centrepiece dish for a special occasion. Encased in fabulous filo pastry, it's packed with leeks, artichokes and cheese

Provided by Diana Henry

Time 1h10m

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
3 leeks , trimmed, washed and chopped into fine rings
1 onion , finely chopped
2 garlic cloves , finely grated
255g cooked artichoke hearts (drained of oil), sliced
250g ricotta , drained
55g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, grated
1 medium egg
½ small bunch of dill , chopped
½ small bunch of parsley , chopped
250g pack filo pastry (10-12 sheets)
85g butter , melted
½ tbsp sesame seeds

Steps:

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the leeks and onion. Season and cook over a medium heat until the leeks and onion are soft, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 mins. Make sure that the mixture isn't too 'wet' or it will make your pie soggy. If it is, turn the heat up to cook off the excess moisture. Add the artichoke, then set aside to cool.
Mix together the ricotta, parmesan, egg and herbs together in a large bowl, then tip in the cooled vegetables. Season and mix with a fork.
Clear a big space on your work surface or kitchen table - you're going to construct a pastry that is one metre wide. Take one piece of filo, put it on the work surface with the long side facing you and brush it with butter. Put two more pieces on top, brushing each one with butter. Now do the same again with three layers, overlapping the previous sheets to the left side by about 3cm. Keep doing this until you have one metre of overlapping buttered pastry sheets.
Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and put in a baking sheet to warm up. Spoon the filling in a thin layer onto the pastry, about 2.5cm from the edge. Keep going until you have filled the entire length. Carefully roll this up, working from the edge nearest you, until you have a long sausage shape. You need to be firm, but don't roll too tightly or the filo will split. You should have a couple of unused sheets of filo left, so use these to patch things up, if you need to.
Working from one end of the sausage shape, coil the pastry, then carefully transfer onto a baking sheet (about the same size as the one warming in the oven).
Brush the pie with butter, sprinkle over the sesame seeds, then slide the baking sheet onto the one that's already in the oven (this helps to ensure even cooking). Bake for 30-35 mins, or until golden. Leave the pie to cool a little before eating.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 440 calories, Fat 27 grams fat, SaturatedFat 13 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 30 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 5 grams sugar, Fiber 15 grams fiber, Protein 15 grams protein, Sodium 1 milligram of sodium