Move over cupcakes...here come PIES!

Food Trends predict that 2011 is the year of the pie.

So in keeping with the trend for 2011, try these delicious Aubergine-Feta Phyllo Pies

Ingredients

1 large aubergine, halved lengthwise

Extra virgin olive oil for brushing

Coarse salt and ground black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup roughly chopped pistachios

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp red-pepper flakes

2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

5 sheets frozen phyllo pastry, thawed

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius. Lightly brush cut sides of eggplant with oil and season with salt & pepper. Place eggplant, cut side down, on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until tender, 20 minutes, then remove from oven. Reduce heat to 190 degrees celcius. When cool enough to handle, scrape flesh from skin and roughly chop. Transfer eggplant to a medium bowl and add feta, 3 tablespoons pistachios, coriander, red-pepper flakes and mint. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

2. Lighly oil 6 standard muffin cups. Lay 1 sheet phyllo on a work surface and, with a pastry brush, lighly brush with oil. Stack 4 more phyllo sheets on top, brushing each with oil. Cut into 6 squares. Gently press one square into each muffin cup and fill with 1/4 cup eggplant mixture. Gently fold over corners of phyllo to enclose filling. Brush tops with oil and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon pistachios. Bake until golden, 30 minutes.

Serve warm with lightly dressed greens or assorted vegetables and hummus.