It's my favourite excuse to eat chestnuts till they come out of my ears. Here's my favourite veggie pie (but vegetarians should get to the table FAST because the meat-eaters always want some of this as well as their bit of dead bird):
The day before you want to serve it, roast 1 red onion, 1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper, 2 potatoes and 1 large carrot, cut into chunks, in some olive oil, adding some chopped root ginger & cinnamon. Should take about 30 mins to turn the veg golden. Cool, then add a packet of ready-prepared chestnuts & a small jar of aubergines in oil. (I know it sounds heavy on the oil, but trust me.) Chill the mixture. Cut a pack of filo pastry into 3 lengths, spread it with tomato puree & roll it up into a swiss roll shape. Prepare another pack in the same way but without the puree. Wrap & chill them overnight.
The next day, roll the flavoured pastry into a 12½” circle. Roll the unflavoured pastry to a 12” circle. Lay the unflavoured circle on a baking tray, pile the vegetables in the middle & top with the larger circle. Seal well, brush with egg & bake at 200C for 25 mins.
It sounds like a lot of work, but it's Christmas. And no innocent bird dies.
