Author: Olivemagazine/Photo credit to olivemagazine.com
A festive savoury spin on the classic Middle Eastern dessert makes a fantastic vegetarian substitute for turkey this Christmas
Ingredients
butternut squash 1kg, peeled and diced
olive oil
chickpeas 400g tin, drained and rinsed
cumin seeds 2 tsp
harissa 2 tbsp
onions 3, finely chopped
leek 1, white part chopped
garlic 2 cloves, crushed
cooked and peeled chestnuts 180g pack, chopped
soft white breadcrumbs 150g
coriander a handful, finely chopped
sultanas 50g
vegetable stock 100ml, hot
filo pastry 2 x 270g packs
butter 75g, melted
feta 200g, crumbled
black onion seeds or black sesame seeds 1 tsp
runny honey to drizzle
dried chilli flakes a pinch, (optional)
sea salt flakes
Instructions
STEP 1
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the squash onto a baking tray with 2 tbsp of olive oil and lots of seasoning, then toss. Bake for 10 minutes then add the chickpeas, cumin seeds and harissa, stir everything and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the squash is just tender. Cool, then use a fork to mash ½ of the chickpeas. Turn the oven down to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
STEP 2
Heat another 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Cook the onions, leek and garlic for 10-15 minutes or until softened. Put ½ the mixture in a bowl with the chestnuts, breadcrumbs, coriander, sultanas and stock, mix well and season. Stir the remaining onion and leek mixture into the squash and chickpeas.
STEP 3
To assemble the baklava, trim the filo sheets so they fit neatly into a deep 25cm x 35cm baking dish or roasting tin. Brush the dish with melted butter. Brush 4 of the filo sheets with melted butter then layer up in the bottom of the dish. Add ⅓ of the squash mix, ⅓ of the chestnut mix and ⅓ of the crumbled feta.
STEP 4
Top with another 4 sheets of buttered filo and add another ⅓ of each mix. Top with another 4 sheets, then the remaining mixtures, then finish with a final layer of 4 buttered sheets.
STEP 5
Cut a classic bakalava pattern into the pastry all the way through to the bottom layer (see picture on p11). Sprinkle with the onion seeds then bake for 30-40 minutes or until the baklava is deep golden and crisp. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with chilli flakes and sea salt flakes before serving in wedges.
Recipe by The Best Video Recipes for All at https://recipes-for-all.com/savoury-spiced-baklava/