posted by Kay Dekker <kay@quickhacks.co.uk>
It's a vegetarian take on the wonderful pie described
in "The Leopard" - so no, it doesn't contain any
endangered mammals, in case you were worrying. I
don't know where this version originated, so I can't
give credit :(
Leopard Pie (Serves 6)
- 675 g/1.5 lbs shortcrust pastry, thawed if frozen
- 225 g/8 oz dried macaroni
- 350 g/12 oz fresh spinach leaves
- half a fennel bulb, diced
- 50 g/2 oz pine nuts, fried until golden in a little oil
- half a red pepper, seeded and sliced
- 90 g/3.5 oz feta cheese, cubed
- 1 tbsp drained capers
- 200 ml/7 fl oz single cream
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vegetable concentrate
- 1 tbsp cornflour, blended with 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- seasoning
-
Preheat the oven to 190 C/375 F/Gas 5.
Roll out 2/3 of the pastry on a lightly
floured surface and line a 22 cm/8.5 inch
springform tin.
-
Cook the macaroni until al dente. Drain and
set aside. Wash the spinach and discard thick
stalks. Cook in a large pan until soft; drain
and squeeze out excess water, then chop roughly.
-
Put 1/3 of the macaroni into the pastry case.
Seasoning well between the layers, add half the
fennel, pine nuts, half the remaining macaroni
and the spinach. Finally top with macaroni,
pepper, feta and capers.
-
Beat together the cream, eggs, vegetable
concentrate, cornflour paste and seasoning
in a small bowl until evenly combined. Pour
into the pastry case.
-
Roll out the remaining pastry to make a lid.
Press the pastry firmly down over the filling
and trim the edges. Roll out the trimmings and
decorate the top of the pie. Sprinkle with
cinnamon and sugar, and bake for 1 hour 15
minutes until golden.
-
Rest for 15 minutes to serve hot, or leave
until totally cold.
872 calories per serving.
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