Maple, Date and Pecan Parcels

Vegan

This festive recipe is taken from Martin Shaw Cooks Veggie For a hard copy of this bargain guide, call 0117 944 1000.

Picture courtesy of Corin Jeavons.

Serves:

Time:

25-30 minutes

No sesame

No soya

Ingredients:

8 sheets of filo pastry (make sure sheets are no bigger than 30cm x 20cm (12” x 8”)
1 tsp mixed spice
4 tbsp icing sugar
100g/3 oz pecans, chopped
100g/3 oz dates, chopped
4 tbsp maple syrup
85g/ scant 3 oz vegan margarine, melted

Method:

1. If the filo pastry is frozen allow it to defrost thoroughly before starting.

2. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6.

3. Stir the mixed spice into the icing sugar.

4. Carefully separate one sheet of filo pastry and lay flat on to a work surface. Brush with melted margarine.

5. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of the sugar mixture over half of the pastry lengthways.

6. Sprinkle 12g of the pecans of top of the sugar.

7. Fold the plain side of the pastry over the side with the filling on and press around the edges.

8. Place 12g of the dates on top and drizzle with 1/2 tsp of maple syrup.

9. Fold the bottom left corner up to the opposite edge to form a triangle. Then keep folding the triangle over and over down the pastry until you reach the end of the pastry.

10. Repeat steps 4 to 9 until you have 8 parcels.

11. Place the parcels onto a greased baking tray and brush the top with melted margarine.

12. Cook on the top shelf of the oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

13. Other combinations of fruit and nut which work well are cherry and walnut and almond and apricot.