Start by making the filling. Heat the oil in a large skillet and pan fry the onions, squash, garlic, cranberries, spices and seasoning over low heat. Cover the pan with a lid to allow the onions to caramelise and squash to soften, adding a little water or vegetable stock if the pan gets too dry. Cook for ten minutes or until the squash is cooked through.
Stir in the chestnuts and pine nuts then add the shredded spinach, stirring until it wilts. At this point you can leave the filling to cool before using or chill until you are ready to make the pies.
Stir the hummus into the filling to bind all the ingredients together. Have a taste and and add salt and pepper, to taste as needed.
Assemble your filo spirals. Open the packet of pastry and keep covered with a clean kitchen towel. Rinse the towel in cold water and wring it out to keep the filo from drying out.
Lay one piece of filo on a clean countertop with the long edge facing you. Brush with olive oil and add filling along the edge. Roll the pastry over the filling, brushing with oil as you go. Twist into a loose spiral and place on a lined roasting tray. Do not roll the pastry too tightly as the filo can easily split.
Repeat until you have used all of the filling – this recipe makes nine vegetable pies. Brush oil over the top and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
Bake in a 190C (375F) preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Prep Ahead
The filling can be made up to a day in advance and kept chilled until you are ready to assemble your veggie pies.
Storing and freezing
The pies are best eaten as soon as they are cool enough! Keep any leftovers in the fridge for up to a day and reheat in the oven at 180C (350F) to refresh the pastry.
You can freeze the assembled pies before baking them on their baking tray. Bake from frozen, adding 10 minutes to the cooking time.
Vegetable pie variations
Replace the hummus with vegan soft cheese or feta style cheese if you like.
Any type of greens can be used in place of the spinach, such as kale or chard but they will need to be cooked for longer.