Vegetarian Christmas Wreath

Method

1. For the filling, peel, de-seed and chop the squash into 2cm pieces and place onto a baking tray lined with Bacofoil® foil with the non-shiny side facing up (this will ensure the squash doesn’t stick). Add the garlic cloves, season with salt and pepper and drizzle over the oil. Roast for 30 minutes.
2. Stir the squash then add the onion and pine nuts and roast for a further 15-20 minutes until the squash is tender but not too soft. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins and mash. Discard the skins and mix the roast garlic through. Set aside to cool
3. For the pastry, blitz the flour, salt and butter in a food processor for a few seconds until it resembles fine breadcrumbs then add 4 tablespoons of cold water and whizz for a few more seconds until it starts to clump together. Tip onto a board and press together and form into a log shape. Wrap in cling film and chill.
4. Now make the spinach filling. Drain the ricotta on 2 pieces of kitchen paper to absorb some of the moisture. Wash the spinach then roughly chop it and place into a large lidded saucepan. Wilt over a medium heat for a couple of minutes only then drain and cool. Transfer the spinach to a bowl and mix with ricotta, nutmeg and black pepper. Add half of the feta and mix again then set aside
5. Mix the rest of the feta and all the chopped herbs into the squash filling. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/Gas Mark 4. Line another large square baking tray with Bacofoil® foil.
6. Unwrap the pastry and roll out on a large, floured board into a very long, thin rectangle approx. 60cm x 20cm. Trim the edges and keep aside. Arrange the spinach filling along the length of the pastry, keeping a gap on either side. Top with the squash mixture
7. Beat the egg with the milk and brush a little along the two long edges of pastry. Carefully roll away from you to form a long sausage shape, with the seam on the bottom. Transfer to the lined baking tray and form gently into a ring. Brush the ends with egg wash and join together, then brush all over the top with egg wash and sprinkle with the seeds. Make a few diagonal slashes in the pastry
8. Roll out the remaining pastry and use star cutters to make some stars. Arrange the stars on the wreath, using a little egg wash to secure and glaze
9. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes then cover loosely with a piece of foil, which will stop it browning too much. Cook for a further 10-15 minutes until golden. Place onto a platter and decorate with fresh herbs and cranberries and serve with all your favourite Christmas dinner accompaniments.