Plum and ricotta filo pie
- 10 plums, halved and pitted
- 200 g (7.1oz) caster sugar
- 150 g (5.3oz) butter
- 2 star anise
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 250 g (8.8oz) ricotta cheese
- 3 tbsp date syrup (or honey)
- 50 g (1.8oz) pine nuts
- 30 g (1.1oz) poppy seeds
- 1 dusting of icing sugar, to finish
- 4 sheets of filo pastry
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees c.
- Put the halved plums into a medium saucepan with the sugar, 50g of the butter and star anise.
- Cook on a medium to low heat until the plums are poached, about 15 minutes.
- Then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Melt the rest of the butter.
- Placing the springform cake tin on the baking tray, drape the first sheet of filo pastry over and into the cake tin.
- Brush the surface with the melted butter.
- Do this with the other three sheets, criss-crossing them so that the entire inside of the cake tin is covered, but you have enough hanging over the sides to eventually cover the filling.
- Brush each layer with melted butter as you go.
- Mix the ricotta with the vanilla, date syrup (or honey) and the pine nuts.
- Spread this mixture over the bottom of the cake tin.
- Then add the plums, removing the star anise.
- Cover the top of the pie by bringing up the hanging down sides of filo and overlapping it on top of the pie.
- It doesn't matter if it is crinkly and folded this is all part of the charm.
- Brush some more melted butter on top.
- Put the baking tray with the pie inside the springform cake tin into the oven.
- After 15 minutes, slide it out of the oven and remove the springform tin and sprinkle the poppy seeds on the top.
- Put it back in the oven and bake for another 15 minutes until the top is golden.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool briefly.
- With a spatula (or two) remove the pie from the baking tray and place on a decorative plate for serving.
- Sprinkle the top with a dusting of icing sugar.
caster sugar, butter, anise, vanilla, ricotta cheese, syrup, nuts, poppy seeds, dusting of icing sugar, pastry
Taken from www.lovefood.com/guide/recipes/46391/plum-and-ricotta-filo-pie (may not work)