VEGETARIAN FILO PIE

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas6; toss the aubergine with 1 tablespoon of oil, the cumin seeds and ½ tsp cinnamon; season and place in a shallow baking tray and roast for about 30 minutes until tender; leave to cool

Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain well; place in a colander and press out the liquid using the back of a spoon; leave to cool then chop

Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 10 minutes until soft, but not golden; add the garlic and peppers and cook for another 6-8 minutes until soft; stir in the rice, pine nuts, remaining cinnamon and seasoning; remove from the heat and cool

Lay out 3 of the filo sheets end-to-end lengthways, overlapping each one by half; stick them together with the melted butter then brush generously with butter; repeat with 3 more sheets along the top half of the rectangle, positioned so they overhang by 10cm at the top; butter again, then add 3 more sheets, this time to overlap by 10cm at the bottom half of the rectangle.

Spoon the pepper mixture along the centre of the pasty leaving 5cm at either end; add the aubergine, then the spinach and feta on top

Starting with the closest edge, lift the pastry over the filling, tucking in the ends; then roll up going away from you to make a sausage

Starting at one end of the sausage, roll up to make a spiral; don’t worry if it splits, simply butter pieces of the left-over pastry and patch up the holes

Place on a flat baking sheet, butter the top and exposed sides generously then sprinkle over the poppy seeds; bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and crisp; leave to rest for 10 minutes before slicing