Sweet potato pastilla recipe | Sainsbury`s Magazine (2024)

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Serves: 6

Sweet potato pastilla recipe | Sainsbury`s Magazine (2)Prep time: 30 mins

Sweet potato pastilla recipe | Sainsbury`s Magazine (3)Total time:

Sweet potato pastilla recipe | Sainsbury`s Magazine (4)

Recipe photograph by Dan Jones

Recipe by Anna Glover

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A Moroccan pastilla is traditionally filled with pigeon and apricots. This colourful vegetarian version uses sweet potato and cinnamon. Serve with roast carrots and buttered kale

Serves: 6

Sweet potato pastilla recipe | Sainsbury`s Magazine (5)Prep time: 30 mins

Sweet potato pastilla recipe | Sainsbury`s Magazine (6)Total time:

See more recipes

Party Mains Vegetarian Summer Easter Roasts Pastry Rice

Nutritional information (per serving)

Calories

508Kcal

Fat

23gr

Saturates

12gr

Carbs

60gr

Sugars

13gr

Fibre

7gr

Protein

11gr

Sweet potato pastilla recipe | Sainsbury`s Magazine (7)

Anna Glover

Anna is our former Creative Food Editor, and a cookery writer and food stylist. She loves a challenge and is known for whipping up interesting flavour combinations. She’s still in search of the best pizza in the world

See more of Anna Glover’s recipes

Sweet potato pastilla recipe | Sainsbury`s Magazine (8)

Anna Glover

Anna is our former Creative Food Editor, and a cookery writer and food stylist. She loves a challenge and is known for whipping up interesting flavour combinations. She’s still in search of the best pizza in the world

See more of Anna Glover’s recipes

Subscribe to Sainsbury’s magazine

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Ingredients

  • 750g sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tsp
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 260g young spinach
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 red peppers, deseeded and diced
  • 250g pack precooked brown rice
  • 220g pack fresh filo pastry
  • 100g butter, melted
  • 100g vegetarian feta, crumbled
  • a large pinch of poppy seeds or sesame seeds

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Step by step

Get ahead

The pastilla can be prepared the day before baking; cover with clingfilm and chill. When ready to cook, brush with more butter, sprinkle with the seeds and add 10 minutes to the cooking time.

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Toss the sweet potato with 1 tablespoon of oil, the cumin seeds and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Season and tip onto a shallow baking tray. Roast for 30-35 minutes until tender and lightly golden. Leave to cool.
  2. Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain well. Tip into a colander; press out the liquid using the back of a spoon. Put in a clean tea towel; squeeze out any excess liquid. Leave to cool, then chop. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 10 minutes until soft, but not golden. Add the garlic and peppers, and cook for another 6-8 minutes until soft. Stir in the rice, remaining cinnamon and seasoning; remove from the heat and cool.
  3. On a large work surface, lay out 3 of the filo sheets end-to-end lengthways (keep the remaining filo pastry covered by a damp tea towel as you work), overlapping each one by about 10cm; stick them together with the melted butter to create a rectangle, then brush the whole thing generously with more butter. Repeat with 3 more sheets along the top half of the rectangle, positioned so they overhang by 10cm at the top. Butter again, then add 3 more sheets, this time to overlap by 10cm at the bottom half of the rectangle. You will end up with a rectangle that’s triple thickness in the middle, but only 1 sheet thick along the top and bottom. Spoon the pepper mix along the centre of the pastry (where it is triple thickness), leaving 5cm at either end. Add the sweet potato, then the spinach and feta on top. Butter the exposed pastry around the filling.
  4. Starting with the closest edge, lift the pastry over the filling, tucking in the ends; then roll up going away from you, to make a sausage. Starting at one end of the sausage, roll up to make a spiral pastilla. Don’t worry if it splits, simply butter pieces of the excess filo (you should have about 3 sheets remaining) and patch up the holes while you mould it.
  5. Slide a flat baking sheet gently under the pastilla. Butter the top and exposed sides generously, then sprinkle over the poppy seeds. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and crisp. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
  6. Watch this...

    Sweet potato pastilla

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Sweet potato pastilla recipe | Sainsbury`s Magazine (2024)

FAQs

What makes a good sweet potato? ›

When shopping for sweet potatoes — after you've decided whether you want a soft or firm variety — you should look for ones that have a smooth, taut skin and are free of soft spots, bruises, cracks or signs of sprouting.

What is the combination of sweet potato and milk? ›

The combination of sweet potatoes and almond Nestlé A+ Milk creates a creamy texture, while the addition of aromatic spices like cardamom and saffron enhances the flavor profile. This dessert is not only a treat for the taste buds but also a healthier option compared to the classic version.

Why do you need to soak sweet potatoes before cooking? ›

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: The main secrets to achieving that incredible crispy texture, is to soak the cut sweet potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This helps remove the starch from the sweet potatoes so they´re not limp & soggy.

What happens if you don't soak sweet potatoes? ›

However, when it comes to using soaking as a means to prevent oxidation, it's unnecessary to soak sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes can be diced or peeled, and stored in the refrigerator for several days without changing color. White and yellow potatoes, on the other hand, will oxidize much easier.

What brings out the flavor of sweet potatoes? ›

Browning butter packs in tons of flavor, without dulling the sweet potatoes. Slow-roasting the sweet potatoes activates endogenous enzymes that bring out their natural sweetness. A touch of maple syrup, butter, and a bit of chopped thyme are the only embellishments these naturally sweet sweet potatoes need.

What is the tastiest sweet potato? ›

While Beauregards may be the most common sweet potato, Jewels are right next to them in terms of being a great, classic sweet potato. They have a pretty, thin orange skin, and bright orange flesh that screams "sweet potato." (Or "yam," wrong as that may be. Shrug.)

Is it better to wrap sweet potatoes in foil when baking? ›

Wrapping sweet potatoes in foil helps in a few ways. It prevents the exterior of the tuber from drying out and overheating too quickly, which would minimize enzymatic activity; it also results in a more evenly cooked texture.

Why not to boil sweet potatoes? ›

Despite their sweet taste, these potatoes have an intermediate glycemic index (GI) level, meaning they are digested and absorbed fairly slowly, leading to a more gradual increase in blood sugar levels. But, a lot of these benefits, including nutrients and taste, can be lost by boiling sweet potatoes.

Is it better to boil or bake sweet potatoes? ›

Baking can also cause an 80% drop in vitamin A levels, twice as much as boiling. Therefore, from a nutritional standpoint, boiling rather than baking should be recommended for cooking sweet potato.

What is the difference between a yam and a sweet potato? ›

Are Yams and Sweet Potatoes the Same? No, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh (when cooked), and a sweet flavor.

What is the white milk coming out of my sweet potato? ›

A milky substance on your sliced sweet potato doesn't mean that your spud is rotten or spoiled. The ooze is actually referred to as "sap." It is made up of sugar and starch combined with the moisture found in the vegetable, and it escapes out of the damage made from the knife. The sap really equals the sweetness.

Why do bodybuilders eat sweet potatoes instead of potatoes? ›

A rich nutritional composition

The glycemic index of this vegetable is much lower than that of potatoes: sweet potato has a glycemic index of 70, compared with over 100 for potatoes. This nutritional quality is ideal for athletes who want to lose weight or gain muscle by eating a healthy food.

What are some interesting facts about sweet potatoes? ›

Sweet potatoes are planted in the spring and harvested in the fall. Sweet potatoes are great sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, beta carotene, fiber and potassium. Sweet potatoes can be white, yellow, red, purple or orange. The orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are sweeter than the other varieties.

How to encourage sweet potatoes to grow? ›

Sweet potatoes need loose, well-drained soil to form large tubers. You don't want the roots to face resistance when they try to expand within the soil. Loose soil is more critical than almost any other factor when it comes to growing sweet potatoes successfully.

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