Mushroom & Lentil Stuffed Festive Log

Directions:

• 1To make the lentil stuffing, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until softened, then add the tomato paste and all the spices. Mix well, then stir in the mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes, allowing them to yield all their juices. Stir in the lentils, sundried tomatoes and 1 ½ tablespoons water and cook for a further 10–15 minutes. Season with salt and leave to cool before stuffing the pastry – the mixture should be no more than lukewarm.
• 2While the lentil mixture is cooling, make the nut stuffing. Place the onion, garlic and herbs in a food processor and blend until small pieces form. Next, add the hazelnuts and pulse into crumbs. Add the remaining ingredients, then process for 10–20 seconds, until you have a nice crumble mix, but it's not crushed to a pulp. Set aside.
• 3Preheat the oven to 220°C conventional, or 200°C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
• 4Place the pastry sheets on a clean, floured work surface, overlapping them to make a long rectangle. Brush a little milk in between the overlapping edges to help them adhere to each other, then roll the pastry sheets together, with the short length facing you. Leaving a generous border of pastry clear along the bottom and both edges, spoon the lentil stuffing mixture onto the bottom pastry sheet, gently spreading the filling into a square shape. In another square shape, directly above the lentil mixture, spread the nut stuffing mixture, again leaving a generous border clear along both pastry edges and the top.
• 5Now start slowly rolling the bottom pastry edge over the mixture, away from you, until you reach the end – an extra pair of hands can be helpful here. Don't worry if any bits fall out the side; just gently push them back in place. Secure the folded-over pastry in place using toothpicks. Brush the pastry with a little milk. Using a sharp knife, gently score the surface of the pastry to mark equal serving portions.
• 6Using two large metal spatulas – again another set of hands can be useful here – carefully lift the log onto the baking tray. Transfer to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

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