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Curried cauliflower cheese filo pie
Serves 4 Cakes, Bread and Pastries
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower (approx. 700g), trimmed and cut into bite-size florets
- 2tsp mild curry powder
- 3tbsp olive oil
- 100g unsalted butter, half cut into roughly 3cm cubes, the other half melted
- 75g plain flour
- 675ml whole milk
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1½tbsp English mustard
- 150g mature cheddar, roughly grated
- 6 good-quality filo pastry sheets
To serve
- 1tbsp roughly chopped parsley
- 1½tsp lemon zest
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C F/Gas 6. Line the bottom and sides of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking parchment. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
Put the cauliflower on the lined baking tray and toss with the curry powder, half the oil, ½tsp salt and a good grind of black pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes, until cooked through and lightly coloured. Set aside and turn the oven temperature down to 190C/170C F/Gas 5.
Meanwhile, make a béchamel. Put the cubed butter into a medium saucepan on a medium-high heat and, once melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes – it should start to smell nutty (like popcorn). Turn the heat down to medium and slowly add the milk, a little at a time, whisking continuously to prevent any lumps, until incorporated and the sauce is smooth. Cook, whisking often, for about 7 minutes, until thickened slightly. Off the heat, stir in the garlic, mustard, cheese and ¼tsp salt until the cheese has melted.
Put the filo sheets under a damp tea towel to prevent them drying out. In a bowl, combine the melted butter and the remaining oil and keep to one side. Working with 1 sheet at a time, brush the exposed side of the filo with the butter mixture and drape it into the prepared tin (buttered side up), pushing it down gently to fit. Continue in this way with the next filo sheet, brushing it with butter and then laying it over the bottom sheet, rotating it slightly so the overhang drapes over the sides at a different angle. Do this with all 6 sheets.
Spoon half the béchamel into the base and top with the roasted cauliflower florets. Spoon over the remaining béchamel, then crimp up the overhang so that it creates a messy ‘scrunched-up’ border around the edges, leaving the centre of the pie exposed.
Brush the top of the filo border with the remaining butter mixture, then transfer the tin to a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes.
Using a tea towel to help you, carefully release the outer circle of the springform tin and return the pie to the oven for another 20–25 minutes or until the sides are nicely coloured and everything is golden and bubbling. Leave to settle for 15 minutes. Top the pie with the parsley and lemon zest and serve warm.
This recipe was taken from the Christmas 2021 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.
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