This festive filo pie brings together roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions and garlic, jarred roasted peppers, chickpeas and warm North African spices to create a stunning centrepiece. It is perfect for anyone who loves simple, joyful cooking, easy recipes that deliver big seasonal flavour with minimal fuss.
Why this recipe works
The technique is delightfully hands-off at the start. Whole butternut squash, unpeeled onions and a bulb of garlic roast slowly until jammy and sweet. That slow roast concentrates flavour and gives the filling a rich, caramelised backbone without much effort. Meanwhile, simple storecupboard ingredients like jarred peppers, canned chickpeas and ready-made filo keep the preparation quick and affordable.
Ingredients
- 1 whole butternut squash, washed
- 2 onions, unpeeled
- 1 bulb garlic, unpeeled
- 1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
- 1 jar chickpeas, use about half the jar
- 2 tablespoons ras el hanout
- Small handful each parsley and mint, roughly chopped
- Handful dried cranberries
- 150 g feta (optional for vegetarian, omit for vegan)
- Small handful couscous to absorb moisture
- Filo pastry sheets
- Olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper
- For the quick sauce: 1 tin plum tomatoes, lemon peel, stick of cinnamon, 1 tsp harissa
- To serve: natural yogurt, crushed pistachios and a drizzle of honey
Method
- Roast the veg: place the whole butternut squash, unpeeled onions and garlic bulb in a pan and roast at 180°C / 350°F for about 2 hours until sticky and jammy.
- Prepare the filling: halve and scoop the squash, squeeze the sweet roasted onion and garlic from their skins. Chop and combine in a bowl with chopped roasted peppers, chickpeas, ras el hanout, chopped herbs, cranberries, crumbled feta and a handful of couscous. Season to taste.
- Shape the filo snakes: keep filo sheets covered with a damp cloth. Place filling about an inch thick on two sheets and roll into a cigar shape. Oil the base of a baking tray, scatter a little rosemary and chickpeas, then coil these filo sausages into a spiral or snake shape until the tray is filled.
- Bake for 45 minutes at 180°C / 350°F until golden and crispy. The little chickpeas and herb bits will go delightfully crunchy.
- Make the one-minute sauce: in the same pan, warm a splash of oil with lemon peel, cinnamon and a teaspoon of harissa. Add the canned tomatoes, crush, and bring to a boil for one minute. Season and remove from the heat.
- Serve: spoon the tomato sauce on a platter, top with the baked filo pie, dollops of yogurt, a drizzle of harissa oil, crushed pistachios and runny honey.
Tips for success
- Hands-off roasting gives the best caramelisation. Pop the veg in and get on with other prep.
- Use jarred roasted peppers for sweetness and smoke without extra work.
- Couscous soaks up moisture so the filling stays light and crumbly.
- Make it vegan by skipping the feta. The dried cranberries and ras el hanout keep things festive and bright.
Storage and reheating
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in a moderate oven to retain filo crunch. This recipe is a brilliant make-ahead option for entertaining since most of the work can be done earlier and assembled to bake just before serving.
"Organised chaos on a plate makes for the most memorable gatherings."
More about cooking, easy recipes
This recipe is perfect for anyone building a library of cooking, easy recipes for festive meals. It balances convenience and celebration in a way that makes feeding a crowd feel fun and stress free.
This article was created from the video How To Make A VEGGIE Christmas Filo | Jamie Oliver with the help of AI.
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