Individual Rhubarb Filo Pies with Ginger Custard

I was inspired to make this after making Summer Vegetable Pie by Scrumptious, by the rhubarb from the farmers' market and by my craving for ginger custard!

1. 1

   Start by roasting the rhubarb. This can be done in advance, either on the same day, or the day before, as it keeps well covered in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Wash and trim the ends off the rhubarb, then cut into chunks, approx. 2cm each in length. Put the rhubarb into an ovenproof dish, add the sugar, cinnamon, orange juice and zest, and syrup if using (I recommend you do, especially if making the custard). Mix together with a spoon, then cover with foil and put in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, then return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. By this time, the rhubarb should be soft, not mushy, with the chunks still holding their shape. Leave to cool.
   To assemble the pies, melt the butter and use a little to grease 2 ovenproof ramekins, or similar dishes or moulds. Cut the filo into strips roughly the same width as the diameter of the dish. Take a strip, brush it with melted butter, then lay it in one of the dishes with the excess hanging equally over either side. Do the same with a second stip, but lay it across the first, in a cross shape. Repeat until you have used up the first sheet of filo, then repeat the process with the second sheet and second dish.
   Spoon the rhubarb into the dishes, dividing equally, then fold over the excess filo to cover the tops. Brush with the remaining butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.
   Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C / 350 F / Gas Mark 4 for 15 minutes, until golden. Turn out onto a serving plate, and dust with icing sugar if you want to.
   While the pies are in the oven, you can make the custard.
   Put the milk, cream and grated ginger into a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil, then immediately remove from the heat.
   In a glass bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and ground ginger together until pale and fluffy. Pour the hot milk and cream onto the yolk mixture and whisk well. I use an electric hand whisk but you can do by hand.
   Pour back into the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring continuously, until it begins to thicken - test to see if it coats the back of the spoon. Stir in the chopped stem ginger, then it is ready to serve.