Pie of the Month - June

While baking, caramalised pineapple juices sometimes seep out of these pies.
It is every bit as exciting as it sounds.

(It's getting very close to the end of the month, it really is.)

'Fruit for pudding.' - Surely the most devastating three words to hear in the whole of the English language. They certainly were for me as a child. And even though as an adult I love to eat fruit, I still think that it's no substitute for a proper pudding.

Unless you wrap it in pastry, of course.

Recent discovery: barbequed pineapple is sensational.

Recent realisation: I have never cooked with filo pastry.

(Yes. It's true. We are indeed going to the fabulous place you are imagining.)


I couldn't be bothered to get the BBQ out (and I'm not in the mood to apologise), so I decided that using raw pineapple in these Pineapple Paradise Pies (love me that alliteration) would have to do. It did. Does. Will do. Look me in the eyes and bear witness to my absolute conviction: these are delicious.

3 basic ingredients. A few optional extras. You will celebrate me. Oh yes. You will.

Pineapple Paradise Pies

You will need:

1 ripe (I said RIPE!) pineapple
1 packet fresh filo pastry
50g butter, melted

To serve:

crème fraïche
caster sugar
powdered cinnamon

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. Peel and slice your pineapple into small-ish chunks.
2. Take a sheet of filo and cut in half. Brush each half with butter and lay on top of each other. Repeat to create a four-layered piece of filo (do you copy that?).
3. Arrange a generous portion of pineapple chunks in the centre and fold the edges up to create a neat little pie package.
4. Place the packages (you should get 6 - my packet of pastry had 12 sheets) on a baking sheet, brush with butter and bake until brown and crisp, around 15 minutes.
5. Serve sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, and a generous scoop of crème fraïche.