1 spring green cabbage, tough core removed and leaves sliced into ribbons, or150g kale, stripped and chopped
350g macaroni, cooked for 2 minutes less than packet instructions
8 sheets filo pastry
½tsp sesame seeds
½tsp nigella seeds
Salt & black pepper
Method:
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Start by melting 50g of the butter in your largest saucepan, which is large enough to comfortably hold all the milk, pasta and greens. When the butter is sizzling, tip in the flour, and cook over a low heat for a few minutes, stirring all the time, until a golden paste forms. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue to cook over a medium-low heat, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, stirring regularly. Tip in the grated cheddar, and remove the pan from the heat. Beat to incorporate the cheese, and when the sauce is smooth, stir in both mustards, nutmeg and a generous amount each of salt and pepper.
In a separate saucepan, blanch the greens in salted water for 3 minutes until bright green and tender, then drain and refresh under cold running water. Squeeze the greens dry, then stir through the cheese mixture along with the macaroni.
Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan and unwrap the filo pastry. Keep the pastry covered with a clean tea towel to prevent the sheets from drying out as you work. Brush the base and sides of a parchment-lined round 23cm spring form pan with melted butter. Lay a sheet of filo over it, so that the sides of the pastry overhang slightly and brush all over with melted butter. Repeat with three more sheets of filo, slightly altering the angle of the pastry and brushing each one with melted butter as you go. Tip the cheesy macaroni mixture into the centre of the pastry, then use a spatula to even out the surface. Lift the overhanging pieces of filo into the centre of the pasta. Brush the remaining four sheets of filo with melted butter and loosely crumple them before arranging them over the top, so that it has an attractive ruffled lid. Scatter over the sesame and nigella seeds.
Cook the pie in the centre of the oven for 55 minutes – 1 hour, until deep golden and sizzling, checking after half an hour that the surface isn’t turning dark brown. If it is, loosely tent the top with foil and return to the oven to continue to cook.
Allowthe pie to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before slicing; it will still bewarm, but the resting time makes it much easier to slice neatly.
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