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Try this savoury baklava recipe then check out our sweet version of baklava. We've also got plenty more vegetarian Christmas dinner ideas, including our beetroot tarte tatin, vegan nut roast, vegan pigs in blankets and vegan wellington

This vegetarian Christmas main can be easily doubled in size if you have a crowd to feed – just use a larger baking tray. To make it vegan, simply swap out the butter for olive oil, and use a vegan feta-style cheese, or just leave it out.

  • 1kg butternut squash
    peeled and diced
  • olive oil
  • 400g tin chickpeas
    drained and rinsed
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tbsp harissa
  • 3 onions
    finely chopped
  • 1 leek
    white part chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
    crushed
  • 180g pack cooked and peeled chestnuts
    chopped
  • 150g soft white breadcrumbs
  • a handful coriander
    finely chopped
  • 50g sultanas
  • 100ml vegetable stock
    hot
  • 2 x 270g packs filo pastry
  • 75g butter
    melted
  • 200g feta
    crumbled
  • 1 tsp black onion seeds or black sesame seeds
  • to drizzle runny honey
  • a pinch dried chilli flakes
    (optional)
  • sea salt flakes

Nutrition: per serving

  • kcal615
  • fat28.9g
  • saturates12.5g
  • carbs68.1g
  • sugars25g
  • fibre10g
  • protein15.7g
  • salt1.6g
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Method

  • step 1

    Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the squash onto a baking tray with 2 tbsp of olive oil and lots of seasoning, then toss. Bake for 10 minutes then add the chickpeas, cumin seeds and harissa, stir everything and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the squash is just tender. Cool, then use a fork to mash ½ of the chickpeas. Turn the oven down to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.

  • step 2

    Heat another 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Cook the onions, leek and garlic for 10-15 minutes or until softened. Put ½ the mixture in a bowl with the chestnuts, breadcrumbs, coriander, sultanas and stock, mix well and season. Stir the remaining onion and leek mixture into the squash and chickpeas.

  • step 3

    To assemble the baklava, trim the filo sheets so they fit neatly into a deep 25cm x 35cm baking dish or roasting tin. Brush the dish with melted butter. Brush 4 of the filo sheets with melted butter then layer up in the bottom of the dish. Add 1/3 of the squash mix, 1/3 of the chestnut mix and 1/3 of the crumbled feta.

  • step 4

    Top with another 4 sheets of buttered filo and add another 1/3 of each mix. Top with another 4 sheets, then the remaining mixtures, then finish with a final layer of 4 buttered sheets.

  • step 5

    Cut a classic bakalava pattern into the pastry all the way through to the bottom layer (see picture on p11). Sprinkle with the onion seeds then bake for 30-40 minutes or until the baklava is deep golden and crisp. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with chilli flakes and sea salt flakes before serving in wedges.

Authors

Janine Ratcliffe Portrait
Janine RatcliffeFood director
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Comments, questions and tips (4)

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Overall rating

A star rating of 5 out of 5.2 ratings

brownesfarmhouse73114

Fabulous vegetarian recipe. I had it with oven baked vine tomatoes, steamed broccoli, green beans and mashed potatoes. My dinner party guests went for seconds . Very tasty and not too spicy It’s really lovely cold as well.

jillgrimmondUqOmQKuy

question

You say this can be made ahead of time by a couple of days. Is that cooked or uncooked?

olive-magazine

Hi, thanks for your question. Either will work although for best results bake it on the day of serving. We hope this helps. Best wishes, the olive team.

CMI

Really enjoyed this accompaned by a green salad with greek olives and some feta. As described this is a savory spiced baklava and you can taste all the spices, which is lovely. It also has a sweetness to it from the sweet chestnuts and the drizzled honey. The lower temperature didn't produce the…

tallonmark0

question

Can this be made ahead?

olive-magazine

Hi, thanks for your question. Yes this can be made a day or two in advance. We hope this helps. Best wishes, the olive team.

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