Phyllo pie with bacon & butternut
A pie is the ultimate comfort food. This pie has a few twists to the usual combination of ingredients but it’s absolutely delicious and perfect for a family supper or special meal. Remember that bacon can be quite salty, but the rest of the seasonings are all fresh and natural and the bacon balance well with the butternut. There isn’t a lot of sour cream in the recipe, but just enough to make it creamy and moreish. Keep moderation in mind when it comes to portion sizes and eat it with a big green salad! Remember that the amount of phyllo needed will depend on the size of your oven dish. Although many people are hesitant to work with phyllo it is really not difficult, just follow the instructions in the method and the tips below. Don’t worry about the phyllo tearing or not being perfect, you won’t notice it once it is baked.
Serves 4 – 6
15 ml (1 tbsp) olive or avocado oil
250 g shoulder bacon, excess fat removed and cut in cubes
4 leeks, sliced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
750 g butternut, peeled and cut in cubes
125 ml (½ cup) white wine or Rooibos tea
30 ml (2 tbsp) cake flour mixed with water to make a paste
250 ml (1 cup) milk
80 ml (⅓ cup) sour cream
60 ml (¼ cup) chopped fresh sage
lemon juice, salt and pepper
Phyllo
4-6 sheets phyllo pastry
30 ml (2 tbsp) olive or avocado oil
1. Filling: Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry bacon until golden brown and cooked, but not crispy. Spoon out and drain on paper towel, if necessary.
2. Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan and sauté leeks and garlic until soft. Add butternut and sauté for a few minutes. Stir in the wine or tea and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minues or until the butternut is cooked.
3. Whisk the flour paste into the milk and stir this mixture into the veggies in the pan. Stir well and simmer for a few minutes or until thickened. Stir in sour cream and simmer for another 5 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Stir bacon and sage into the filling mixture and season to taste. Spoon into a 1,5-2 litre oven dish.
5. Phyllo: Brush one sheet of phyllo on one side with oil and place a second sheet on top. Brush the top with oil and repeat with remaining phyllo. Remember to cover phyllo that hasn’t been brushed with oil yet, with a clean dish towel. This prevents it form from drying out.
6. Cut each double layer of phyllo, lengthwise in 4 thick strips and crumple up into a bundle. Place bundles close together on top of filling.
7. Bake 20-30 minutes or until the filling is warm and the phyllo is golden brown. Serve with a salad.