Sweet Potato and Blue Cheese Filo Pie

If ever there were four ingredients that worked perfectly in tandem, then they are in this Sweet Potato and Blue Cheese Filo Pie. Added to the two headline ingredients, roasted red onion and sautéed mushrooms round out this simple pie. And if you’re quick, it might be ready within the hour.

Satisfying doesn’t seem a strong enough word to describe the combination of sweet potato, blue cheese, mushrooms and red onion. Soft in texture, but strong in flavour they make their host pie almost intolerably moreish.

But it isn’t all soft textures. Certainly not! The inclusion of filo isn’t an accident, you know. Brushed with olive oil and baked at a relatively high temperature, you can be sure that there’ll be a hefty crunchy to accompany the pie’s succulent filling.

The type of blue cheese you use is completely your decision. Personally, large chunks of incredibly blue cheese aren’t pleasant. If you want a cheese that’s going to melt away slightly, give something soft like Dolcelatte a go. Fancy chunks of flavoursome veins? A blue Stilton might work well.

On a more basic level than cheese selection; don’t undercook your pie. It’s important to remember that the pastry isn’t only on the top, and any amount of undercooking is likely to result in an unpleasantly soft filo. You want it to be crispy all the way around.

If you think you are struggling to achieve a good bake, try removing the sides of the springform pan once the pie is able to maintain its own form. But be wary of removing it too early; collapse would spell disaster.

For something a little different, without the need of using pastry, check out my recipe for Pumpkin and Chorizo Pie, topped with a creamy layer of mashed potato and pumpkins.

Sweet Potato and Blue Cheese Filo Pie

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1 red onion, roughly chopped
• a pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 250g chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 100g blue cheese, cubed
• 1 pack filo pastry sheets, around 250g
• a few sprigs of fresh thyme
• a twist of black pepper

Method:

1. Peel and cut your sweet potatoes into large chunks. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and roast at 200C/180C(fan), alongside the red onion, until just cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms in a further tablespoon of olive oil until they have given up most of their moisture and have taken on a golden brown colour.
3. Keeping the oven at the same temperature, generously grease a 23cm springform pan with a little of the remaining oil.
4. Layer the filo into the pan one at a time, brushing each layer with oil before adding the next. Drape any excess filo over the edge of the pan.
5. Pile the cooked vegetables into the prepared pan, place the blue cheese evenly across the top and scatter with fresh thyme. Season carefully with black pepper.
6. Bring the excess filo across the top of vegetables and brush with the remaining oil. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Cost: Despite, for ease of life, using shop-bought filo, your pie shouldn’t set you back much more than £4.50. Of course, the cheese you use will likely have the most say in any outcome of price, but anything too expensive would be a waste.