Spinach Chorizo and Walnut Pie - aka Monday Pie

I'm having a hard time getting my blogging mojo back. I hope you'll bear with me while I find my rhythm again. We'll start with Monday Pie, shall we?

Mondays are hectic around these here parts. Mondays involve lots of bus and car travel, changing of clothes, hard training, late nights and eating on the run (or in the car). This pie has become a bit of a Monday staple. It fills hungry tummies, is portable, can be eaten hot, warm, room temperature or cold hence, Monday Pie (and secretly Lifesaver Pie).

Spinach Chorizo and Walnut Pie - aka Monday Pie
Serves 6

2 sheets ready rolled puff pastry
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 chorizo sausages, casing removed and meat crumbled
500g frozen chopped spinach. thawed
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 spring onions, finely chopped
3 eggs
1 cup thickened cream
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to season

Preheat the oven to 220C fan-forced. Slide a heavy baking sheet or pizza stone in the oven to heat. Grease a 23cm pie dish with butter. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the crumbled sausage meat. Cook until golden and crispy. Add the Garlic and spring onions a cook for a further minute. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. Set aside.

Add the spinach to the pan and saute until it is wilted. This should only take a few minutes. Pour the contents of the pan into a colander and leave to cool. When cool enough to handle, squeeze as mush liquid out of the spinach as you can. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the cream and season lightly with salt and pepper (remember the sausage will be highly seasoned.) Set aside.

Line the baking dish with the puff pastry. Take one sheet of pastry and cut a circle out of it to fit the base of the pie dish and line the base of the pie dish with it. Take the second sheet of pastry and cup it into thirds. Line the sides with these. Press the base and sides together into the corners of the pie dish so that they are well sealed. Do the same with the joins around the sides of the dish. You want it well sealed so that no filling can escape.

Sprinkle the base of the pastry with spinach and then sprinkle with the sausage mixture. Finally pour over the egg mixture and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Roll the edges of the pastry down, over itself, to the level of the filling.

Put the pie dish directly on top of the heated baking sheet or pizza stone and bake for 35 - 40 minutes until the pie is puffed and golden.