VEGIE SPIRAL PIE WITH SPICED TOMATO SAUCE AND CHOPPED SALAD

Preparation time 50 mins plus chilling and cooling

Cooking time 11/2 hours Serves 8-10

1 Tbsp each cumin and

coriander seeds

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 onions, halved and thinly sliced 300g basmati rice

Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground

black pepper, to season 100g green lentils

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 whole nutmeg

1/2 tsp each ground turmeric

and allspice

400g spinach

Small bunch each of dill, parsley

and mint, finely chopped Zest of 2 lemons, plus juice of 1 200g feta, crumbled

12 sheets filo pastry

100g butter, melted

1 free-range egg, beaten

1 tsp black or regular sesame seeds Greek yoghurt, to serve

TOMATO SAUCE

2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes 2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp sugar (any will do)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

SALAD

1 cucumber

1 red onion, finely chopped 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped Handful parsley, chopped

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

STEP 1 Toast cumin and coriander seeds in a large saucepan over medium heat, shaking, for a few minutes until toasted and fragrant. Put in a mortar and pestle. Add oil to same pan with onion. Cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring, until golden and caramelised. Meanwhile, bring 2 saucepans of water to the boil on high heat. Put rice and a pinch of salt in one pan and cook for 5 minutes until tender with a slight bite. Add lentils to other pan and cook for 20 minutes. Drain both pans, and leave lentils and rice to steam-dry.

STEP 2 Stir garlic into onions and cook for 1-2 minutes over low heat. Grind whole spices in the mortar to a fine powder and add to onion mixture. Grate half nutmeg into onion and stir in with turmeric and allspice.

STEP 3 Put spinach in a colander in the sink, pour over boiling water, then rinse under cold water. Use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Finely chop spinach and add to onions with herbs, lemon zest and juice, rice, lentils and seasoning. Cool then stir through feta.

STEP 4 Unwrap filo and cover with a damp tea towel. Have bowls of melted butter and beaten egg to hand, as well as a pastry brush for each. Working quickly, lay 4 sheets of filo end to end, running along the length of your work surface, and butter each piece generously, overlapping each sheet by about 10cm. Top with another 4 sheets, butter well, and then repeat with 3 final sheets of filo (save the last one to cover any cracks later on).

STEP 5 Spoon rice filling down centre of filo, leaving 5cm free on either end. Brush egg around edges and tuck ends in to cover filling. Starting from one end, roll filo over filling, working your way along until you have a long filo sausage. From one end, start to coil sausage back on itself – if the pastry cracks, patch over hole with reserved piece of filo. When coil is complete, slide onto a baking paper-lined oven tray. Brush top with beaten egg and sprinkle over sesame seeds. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill for up to 24 hours.

STEP 6 When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced (200°C conventional). Place pie on middle shelf and bake for 45 minutes until golden and crisp.

STEP 7 Meanwhile, to make tomato sauce, put all ingredients into a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 30 minutes until thickened and rich. Season well.

STEP 8 To make salad, halve cucumber through centre, cut in half lengthways and chop into small cubes. Put in a bowl, with all remaining ingredients, and season well. Set aside until ready to serve.

STEP 9 When pie is cooked, set aside to cool for 20 minutes, then serve with sauce, salad and yoghurt.