Layered squash, barley & spinach pie

recipe

Layered squash, barley & spinach pie

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Don't be afraid of making raised pies; they look spectacular but the pastry is a doddle - you can stretch and tear it as much as you like while lining the tin, just push it back together like play-dough afterwards

Ingredients

FOR THE FILLINGS
1 small butternut squash (about 1kg/2lb 4oz), peeled and cubed
3 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for brushing
3 onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
100g/4oz mushrooms, sliced
85g/3oz whole cooked chestnuts, quartered
100g/4oz pearl barley
1.2 litres/2 pints vegetable stock
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
Zest 1 lemon
250g tub ricotta
200g tub full-fat soft cheese
1/2 x 20g pack sage, leaves picked and chopped
400g/14oz baby spinach
20g pack parsley, leaves chopped
FOR THE PASTRY
700g/1lb 9oz plain flour
140g/5oz butter
85g/3oz white vegetable shortening (we used Trex)

Serves: 8 Preparation: 40 Cook Time: 160 Total Time: 200min

Directions

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Heat oven to /fan /gas and roast the butternut squash with tbsp oil for - mins until tender, then set aside.
Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large pan and cook the onions and garlic for mins until soft. Remove two-thirds, then add the mushrooms, chestnuts and pearl barley to the pan. Sizzle for a few mins, pour in the stock, then bring to the boil. Bubble fiercely for mins until the barley is tender and sticky and there is no liquid left. Stir in the soy sauce, season and set aside.
While the barley layer is cooking, make the other layers. Stir the zest, ricotta, soft cheese and a good amount of seasoning into the reserved onions until smooth. Take a third of the mixture and gently fold with the sage and roasted squash. For the final layer, boil the kettle, then tip half the spinach into a large colander. Pour over the boiling water to wilt, then repeat with the rest of the spinach. Tip the spinach onto a clean tea towel and squeeze out all the moisture you can. Roughly chop, then mix into the remaining ricotta mixture with the parsley.

Source: BBC Good Food