FILO PASTRY SHEETS RECIPES

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
2. Peel and finely grate the garlic, finely chop the parsley, stalks and all, then mix both with the soft butter and season with sea salt and black pepper.
3. Use the tip of a sharp knife to slice into the thickest part of each chicken breast and create a pocket. Divide and stuff in the garlic butter, then shape the breasts back into their original form, sealing the butter inside.
4. Gather up one sheet of filo in waves and wrap around one breast. Repeat, lining up the kievs on a large oiled baking tray. Mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil with 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar, then lightly brush the filo, reserving the remaining mixture for later. Roast on the bottom of the oven for 25 minutes, or until golden, juicy and cooked through.
5. Meanwhile, chop the potatoes into even-sized chunks and cook in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender, adding the peas for the last 2 minutes.
6. Trim the tough ends off the broccoli stalks, halve any thicker stalks lengthways, toss with the remaining oil and vinegar mixture and add to the chicken tray for the last 10 minutes.
7. Drain the potatoes and peas, then mash with 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and season to perfection. Serve it all together.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/Gas 7. Grease the sides of a 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tin and place the ring on a baking sheet (no need to use the base of the tin).

Melt the knob of butter in a saucepan over a high heat. Add the leek and fry for a few minutes, then cover with a lid, lower the heat and cook for about 10 minutes, or until soft.

Increase the heat, add the garlic and spinach and fry for few minutes, until the spinach has wilted. Tip all the vegetables into a bowl to cool.

Remove the sausage meat from their skins and place in the bowl with the cooled leeks and spinach. Season with black pepper and mix using your hands.

Brush the sheets of filo with the melted butter and stick them together end to end in two layers to make a long rectangle measuring about 25 × 90cm (10 × 36in).

Shape the sausage mixture into a long sausage, the same length as the filo. Place it along one long edge of the pastry and roll, brushing with butter in between each roll. You should end up with a long sausage encased in filo. Bend the filo roll into the ring to make a swirl. Brush the top with more butter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Place on the hot baking sheet and cook in the oven for 40–45 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Remove the ring and cut into wedges to serve.

Mary’s tips:

Can be prepared ready for baking up to 8 hours ahead, then cooked to serve. It can be cooked up to 4 hours ahead and reheated in a hot oven to serve.

Freezes well raw.