Filo-wrapped feta and griddled watermelon

Watermelon and feta are often brought together to make a refreshing savoury salad, but the combination also works beautifully as a dessert. This original recipe is appetising and easy to make. Take care as you bite into the filo parcels, as the soft feta inside may still be very hot.

SERVES 4

8 tbsp clear, runny honey

3 tbsp black sesame seeds

8 batons of feta, about 6cm long and 1cm wide

8 squares of filo pastry, 9 x 9cm

50ml light olive oil, for brushing

750ml grapeseed oil, for deep-frying

8 pinches of soft brown sugar

8 rectangles of ripe watermelon (ideally seedless), 4 x 2cm and 1cm thick, chilled

1–2 tsp white wine vinegar

Warm the honey gently. Sprinkle the sesame seeds into a very hot, dry frying pan and toast for 1 minute, then mix with the honey in a bowl. Spoon into 4 saucers or small dishes and set aside.

Thread each baton of feta lengthways onto a wooden skewer, taking care not to break it, and leaving 1–2cm of skewer free at one end.

Lay the filo squares on a work surface and brush them very lightly with olive oil. Place a feta skewer on one side of each filo square, then turn to wrap it up and enclose in the pastry, making sure the skewer is left exposed at one end. Set aside on a plate.

Heat the grapeseed oil in a deep-fryer or other large, heavy-based pan. Meanwhile, place a ridged griddle pan over a high heat. As soon as the oil reaches 160°C, add the wrapped feta batons and deep-fry for 1–2 minutes until the filo is a nice nut-brown colour. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.

Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the watermelon rectangles and place on the hot griddle pan. Cook for about 45 seconds, giving them a quarter-turn halfway through, to mark very lightly with a cross-hatch pattern. Turn and repeat on the other side, then transfer to a plate.

To serve, arrange a pair of filo-wrapped feta batons and a couple of griddled watermelon pieces on each warmed plate. Add a few drops of wine vinegar to each saucer of honey and sesame seed mixture and offer one to each guest, so that they can spoon it onto their feta batons – or dip them into it – as they go.