Sweet Potato Filo Parcels with Papaya Sauce

Ingredients

For the parcels

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 250g sweet potato, grated
• 1 plantain, finely diced
• 150g callaloo leaves, (or spinach) roughly chopped
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 100g mature cheddar cheese (*or creamed coconut, grated)
• 200g filo pastry
• Melted butter or oil for brushing
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the papaya sauce

• 500g ripe papaya
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 lime, juiced
• Salt, to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C Fan Oven / gas mark 4,
2. To make the filling: heat oil in a large pan on low heat, gently sauté onions and garlic until soft. Add plantain, sweet potato, lemon juice and thyme; stir continuously for 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the chopped callaloo leaves (or spinach), stirring until leaves begin to wilt. Add the grated cheese, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well. To make the Filo parcels: Put three sheets of Filo pastry on a work surface, overlaying them so they form a star shape. Brush each sheet lightly with butter/oil. (Keep the rest of the Filo in a damp cloth to prevent drying out). Divide the filling into 4 –6 portions.
4. Put one portion on the top layer of the filo sheets. Pull up all the sides, twisting and pinching so that the entire filling is encased and the pastry is sealed. Use a sprig of thyme or a piece of string to tie round the top to prevent it opening. Repeat to make 4-6 generously sized parcels. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly golden brown.
5. For the sauce: peel and halve the papayas and remove the seeds. Puree the flesh in a blender then transfer to a saucepan. Add the curry powder and sugar and simmer over a low heat for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and salt. Serve Parcels on a bed of ginger-wilted spinach leaves drizzled with a little papaya sauce. Sauce can be made in advance and frozen. To reheat, defrost, place in a small pan and simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes.