Prep: 45 mins – Cook: 30 mins – Total: 75 mins

Ingredients
- 300 g / 10.5 oz solid part of butternut pumpkin / squash or sweet potato
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 small shallots, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
- a few springs of thyme, leaves picked or two pinches of dry thyme
- salt, to taste
- 200 g / 7 oz (weight assumes leaves only) spinach
- black pepper, to taste
- a good pinch of nutmeg
- 1 sheet vegan puff pastry
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp chopped pecans
- 1 tbsp plant milk (soy milk works well), to glaze


Directions
FILLING
- Heat up the oven to 200° C / 390° F (20° C / 70° F less if using fan function) and line a baking tray with a piece of baking paper.
- Peel your butternut pumpkin / squash or sweet potato and cut it into 1.25 cm / 0.5″ thick slices.
- Brush the slices with olive oil and pop them on the prepared tray. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the slices are soft and lightly caramelised. Allow to cool and season well.
- Heat up 1.5 tbsp of oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the finely diced shallots and fry on a low-medium heat until gently caramelised. Add the chopped garlic, thyme and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry until softened and fragrant.
- Add in the chopped spinach and allow the spinach to wilt into the pan. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg.
- Once the spinach has wilted, allow all the moisture to cook out gently. Cool the mixture off.
ASSEMBLY
- Cut two smaller circles (about 10 cm diameter) and two slightly larger ones (about 12 cm diameter) out of a sheet of puff pastry. I used two upside down bowls as a guide, running a knife alongside the outer edge. The smaller circles will form the bottoms of your pithiviers and the larger ones will become the top.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on the surface of the smaller circles leaving a small margin all around for sealing the pastry.
- Place a circle of roasted butternut squash on top, follow by a pile of spinach and top with a generous layer of chopped pecans.
- Drape the larger circle over the filling to create a dome, sealing it with the end of a fork or your fingers all along the base.
- Make a pronounced hole in the top of the dome to allow the steam to escape during baking. With the blunt side of a pairing knife, make shallow incisions (take care not to pierce the pastry) that go from the bottom of each pithivier to the top, following a slight curve.
- Place them in the fridge for 30 minutes while you heat up the oven to 200° C / 390° F.
- Brush the pithiviers with a little plant milk and optionally sprinkle with some coarse salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds or nigella seeds.
- Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until the pastry is beautifully puffed and golden. Serve with a cranberry sauce and your favourite side dishes.

This recipe and photos were created by LazyCatKitchen.com, we simply shared it. Please check them out for more great ideas!
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