Prep 30minBake 30minMakes 8 serves

Commonly referred to as potato ‘pita’ these filo pies are simplicity personified – and that is what makes them so good! Traditionally a homemade flaky dough is made to encase the simple potato filling and filo pastry is a great alternative, especially for the convenience. This recipe uses vegetable oil, but feel free to use olive oil in its place, if you wish.

Ingredients

• 125ml (½ cup) vegetable oil
• 16 sheets filo pastry
• sesame seeds (optional), to sprinkle
• natural yoghurt and freshly ground black pepper, to serve

Filling

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 small brown onion, finely diced
• 600g potatoes (such as Desiree), finely diced
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan-forced). Brush a large baking tray with a little of the oil.
2. To make the filling, heat the oil in a small saucepan and cook the onion over medium heat for 5-8 minutes or until softened. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Peel the potatoes and then use a mandolin to cut them into medium-thick slices (about 7 mm-thick). Use a sharp knife to then dice the potatoes finely. Add to the onion, season with the salt and pepper and set aside.
4. Stack filo sheets flat on a bench top. Cover with a dry clean tea towel and then a slightly damp tea towel to help prevent them from drying out. Take one sheet of filo, lay it with a long side closest to you and brush with a little of the oil. Cover with another sheet of filo brush with oil again. Spread about ⅓ cup of the potato filling along the long edge closest to you, about 3 cm from the edge and about 3 cm in from each end. Fold in the pastry ends and then roll up to form a log and to enclose the filling. Shape the filo log into a coil and place on the oven tray. Brush with a little more oil and then sprinkle with the sesame seeds, if desired. Repeat with the remaining filo sheets and potato filling to make 8 coils in total.