Pumpkin, goats’ cheese and sage pie 

1. To make the pastry, put the flour, butter and salt in a mixing bowl; rub in the butter with your fingers until you have a crumble consistency. Add the eggs and 60ml water and mix until it just comes together. Transfer to the work surface and gently knead by hand until smooth. Flatten, then wrap and chill  for at least 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220˚C, gas mark 7. Put the pumpkin and oil in a roasting tin with the rosemary or thyme sprigs (don’t season yet as salt will draw out the moisture from the pumpkin). Toss together and roast for 25-30 minutes until tender and lightly caramelised, but not so soft it will mash. Turn off the oven (it will be a while before you cook the pie). Season the pumpkin with the salt and set aside to cool (about 30 minutes). When cold, gently stir through the sage and pesto. 

3. Roll out the pastry to a rectangle roughly 50 x 40cm (about 0.5cm thick). Cut out a 15 x 25cm rectangle from the longer edge of the pastry for the lid; put on a small board and set aside. Cut away any excess from the remaining pastry to make a rectangle again, then use your rolling pin to carefully lift and lower the pastry into a 900g loaf tin. Gently move the pastry until the tin is neatly lined, then trim off the excess from the edges and set aside (for the decorations). Press the pastry inside the loaf tin (patch any thinner areas with the excess pastry if need be) and chill the tin and pastry lid for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut out decorations from the reserved pastry, then chill. 

4. Preheat the oven to 200˚C, gas mark 6. Pack ¹⁄³ of the pumpkin mixture into the pastry-lined tin, firmly pressing down so that it’s even. Add ½ the goats’ cheese in an even layer, then repeat and finish with a final layer of the pumpkin, ensuring the top is as flat as possible. Put the pastry lid on top and firmly press the edges together to seal. Trim so that there is an even, small amount of pastry overhang all the way around. Crimp the edges by using your finger and thumb to pinch the pastry while folding over towards the centre of the lid with your other hand (see tips, right). Continue this all the way around the rim of the tin. Mix the egg yolk with 1 tbsp water and brush it over the top of the pie. Arrange the pastry decorations on top and brush with more egg wash. Bake for 45 minutes-1 hour until golden brown and crisp. Allow to cool in the tin for 30 minutes before carefully turning out and serving.