Savoury Paris-Brest

Description

This is traditionally a sweet dish with custard, almonds and other yummy things inside a ring of choux pastry, but I've turned it on its head and made a savoury filling.

Ingredients

150g/5½oz butter
225ml/8fl oz water
225g/8oz plain flour
6 eggs
pinch of salt
For the filling
2 courgettes
1 aubergine
1 red onion, sliced in quarters attached to the base
2 red peppers, de-seeded and cut into chunks
1 garlic clove
fresh thyme
12 sun-blushed tomatoes
200g/7oz goats' cheese, crumbled
vegetable oil, for roasting
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. To make the pastry, put the butter and water in a pan and heat until the butter melts, then bring to the boil. Take the pan off the heat, tip in all the flour and mix well. Cool slightly, then, using a wooden spoon, beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the salt.
2. Transfer to a piping bag and allow to cool for a few minutes. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper, then pipe a 20cm/8in diameter circle onto the paper, then pipe another one directly on top.
3. Put the tray in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes, when the choux ring should be golden and firm. The aim is to get it to dry out in the middle - I quite often put it on the bottom shelf for another 5-10 minutes to make sure. When it's cooked, take the ring out and let it cool. Increase the oven temperature to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
4. To make the filling, heat some oil on a baking tray in the oven. Slice the courgettes and aubergine into pieces as thick as a pound coin. Ideally, cook each vegetable separately - season each vegetable, place in the hot oil on the tray, add a little garlic and roast until soft, then toss in a little thyme. Put to one side while you cook the next one. However, if you're pushed for time, roast the onions for five minutes, then add the peppers for five minutes, then the aubergine and courgettes in the same tray.
5. When all the vegetables are roasted, reduce the oven temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Slice the choux ring horizontally into two halves. Arrange the vegetables on the bottom ring and top with the sun-blushed tomatoes and goats' cheese. Cover with the top ring.
6. Pop it back in the oven for about 10 minutes until the cheese softens. Serve with a dressed mixed leaf salad.