On a recent Saturday morning visit to my local farmers market I was inspired to whip something up when I caught sight of some gorgeous curly kale at one of the handfuls of organic fruit & veg providores. At a nearby stall I also spotted some great looking mushrooms and at that point already formulated a simple recipe in my mind using a butternut pumpkin from another providore and what I already had at home in the kitchen.

This little parcel of goodness goes perfectly with a fresh salad and perhaps even a good chutney, onion jam or even a dollop of crème fraîche. Eat it warm or at room temp.

wild mushroom, balsamic pumpkin & curly kale croustade

serves 4

• 200 g peeled butternut pumpkin, chopped
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp balsamic glaze
• ½ tbsp ex virg olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• Pinch sea salt
• 2 cups curly kale, chopped roughly
• 100 g mixed mushrooms (I used wood ear, shemeji + king brown)
• 100 g leek, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• Good pinch of sage & thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp toasted pinenuts
• 4 x 20 cm lengths of spring onion tops, blanched under hot running water
• Filo pastry
• Melted butter, for pastry

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

In a mixing bowl combine the chopped pumpkin, mustard seeds, balsamic glaze, ½ tsp oil, sesame seeds and salt. Toss to combine and scatter onto a baking tray. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame and gently fry the leek and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the kale and mushrooms and cook for about a minute, until soft.

Add the herbs, pine nuts and season well with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Set aside.

When the pumpkin is done mix it through the mushroom and kale mixture and set aside to cool.

Reduce the oven temp to 200°C.

Lay a sheet of filo pastry on the work surface and brush with a little melted butter. Top with another sheet of filo and brush it with more butter. Top with a third sheet of filo, brush with a little more butter (if you wish) then cut the large sheet in two so that it gives you two squares.

Scoop the filling onto the centre of each pastry square (about ½ cup) and gently gather the sides of the pastry together to form a pouch. Very gently twist the gathered pastry and squeeze the twisted point so that it doesn’t unravel. Tie it off with a strip of blanched spring onion.

Repeat the process again with the remainder of the filling. This method should make four parcels.

Arrange on a baking tray, brush with melted butter and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden.