After using our shallow casseroles a lot for hob cooking, we wanted to do create something seasonal that would get the most of its even baking chops. A real celebration of sweet potato, the flavours in this dish put this wonderful ingredient front and centre. If you prefer to reduce the natural sweetness further, you could try adding a good pinch of chilli flakes to the sweet potato mix. Serve with a simple leafy salad.
Number of servings: 4 (large)
Cooking time: 1 hour
Preparation time: 2 hours
Ingredients
Filling:
Sweet potato: 1.2kg
Ricotta cheese: 125g
Mature cheddar cheese: 80g, shredded
Fresh sage: 2 leaves, finely chopped
Mixed herbs: 2 tsp
Cayenne pepper: ½ tsp
Walnuts: 50g
Salt: 2 tsp
Black pepper: pinch
Shallots: 200g, thinly sliced
Balsamic vinegar: 3 tbs
Brown sugar: 1 tbs
Butter: 2 tbs
Crust:
Filo pastry: 8 sheets
Butter: 4 tbs
Sesame seeds: 2 tsp
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C / 200°C (fan) / Gas mark 7.
Use a paring knife to poke some holes on the sweet potatoes and roast them in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until they are very tender inside. Set aside to cool, then peel off the skin.
In a frying pan, melt butter over low heat and add thinly sliced shallots and sugar. Sweat for 8 minutes until they are meltingly soft and caramelised. Pour in balsamic vinegar and cook until it is reduced. Set aside to cool.
In a mixing bowl, add the roasted sweet potato, caramelised shallots, ricotta cheese, grated mature cheddar cheese, finely chopped sage, mixed herbs, cayenne pepper, chopped walnuts, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Lay one sheet of filo pastry on a chopping board, brush with melted butter, and lay another sheet of filo pastry on top. Scoop in a quarter of the filling mixture and form a line at the bottom, then roll the pastry into a roll. Repeat until you have 4 long rolls.
In a shallow casserole, generously brush melted butter on the surface. Lay the filo rolls starting from the side and towards the centre, twisting the final filo roll to form a spiral. They should fill up the whole casserole.
Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170°C (fan) / Gas mark 5. Brush melted butter on the surface of the filo rolls. Bake in the preheated oven for around 40 minutes or until golden. Brush melted butter once again on the surface and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Bake for another 10 minutes.
Let the pie cool slightly, slice into wedges, and serve!
