Pumpkin & Kale Plait

Adapted from Vegetarian Living magazine.

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 hokkaido pumpkin (~800g), cubed
• 1.5 pounds (~700g) potatoes, cubed
• 6 cloves garlic, 3 sliced and 3 minced
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried rosemary
• 5 small-medium onions, sliced
• 175g Russian kale, destemmed and torn (weight is before destemming)
• 100g pitted dates, chopped
• 500g puff pastry
• ~225g Stilton cheese
• 200mL creme fraiche
• 1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 220'C/425'F/gas mark 7.  Toss the pumpkin, potatoes, garlic, thyme, and sage with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil.  Bake 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.  Set aside to cool.

Heat the other 3 tablespoons oil in a frying pan.  Saute the onions until translucent.  Add kale and dates and cook until softened (~5 minutes).  Set aside to cool.

Grease a large baking sheet.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to about 15x17 inches (38x43cm) or shorter if your pan/oven is shorter (as mine is!).  Spoon the squash mixture down the center, leaving enough pastry on each side to wrap over the top.  Crumble half the Stilton and spoon half the creme fraiche over the squash.  Spread the onion mixture over the top, then top with the remaining Stilton and creme fraiche.

Cut the pastry into three-quarter-inch/two-centimeter wide strips on either side of the filling.  Brush the edges of the pastry carefully with water.  Fold the pastry over the ends, then fold the strips across the top in a criss-cross formation to enclose the filling.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 220'C/425'F/gas mark 7.  Remove plait from fridge and brush with beaten egg.  Bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden.