EGGPLANT, TOMATO AND LENTIL FILO PIE

Whether you are cooking for vegetarians, vegans or simply want to enjoy an occasional meat-free meal, this colourful pie, bursting with flavour and goodness, will be sure to hit the spot.

Recipe & styling: Julie Le Clerc Photo: Todd Eyre / Serves 4

½ cup green puy lentils

Olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

1 eggplant, cut into 2cm cubes

1 red capsicum, deseeded and cut into 2cm cubes

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 tsp ras el hanout

400g tin cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus extra to garnish

4 sheets filo pastry

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 Add the lentils to a large pot of boiling water, turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until just tender. Drain well and set aside.

2 Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onion, eggplant and capsicum. Season and saute over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until soft and golden brown.

3 Stir in the garlic and ras el hanout, and

cook for another minute.

4 Preheat the oven to 200C.

5 Stir in the lentils and tomatoes, and half fill the empty tin with water and add, then simmer for 5 minutes or until reduced slightly. 6 Add the thyme and adjust the seasoning to taste. Spoon into a 25cm x 35cm baking dish.

7 Brush each sheet of filo with olive oil, then layer on top of the pie, folding in the sides to fit the size of the dish. Use the tip of a sharp knife to score the top of the filo into diamonds, but don’t cut all the way through.

8 Scatter with sesame seeds and extra thyme. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.