This one is slightly different from the golden-topped meat pies we usually serve – it’s packed with veg from the Kitchen Garden, so it’s light and wholesome, and it’s made without dairy. The vegetable filling can be adapted to what’s in season, but this mix, with the celeriac setting off the spinach and chard, is a firm favourite. Don’t hold back on the spices – they’re what help to make it so tasty. This one’s even been known to convert the odd meathead!
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
You’ll need a 22cm x 26cm pie dish or 6 individual 16cm pie dishes
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 celeriac, peeled and diced (you want to end up with 600g flesh)
- 3 large carrots, diced
- 4 medium sticks celery, diced
- 1 tbsp mild curry power
- ½ tsp curry powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- salt and pepper
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 120g fresh spinach
- 120g chard
- 320g puff pastry (shop-bought is fine)
- 1 large egg yolk
Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sweat the onion and garlic without colouring. Once it’s fully softened, add the celeriac, carrot and celery.
Cook until everything has softened, add the spices, salt and pepper, then cook for a few minutes more. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes – you may need to add a splash of water here.
Taste the mix and, if you’re happy with the seasoning, add the spinach and chard. This will only take a minute to cook, so take care not to overdo it. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Heat the oven to 200°C or 180°C with fan (400F; Gas Mark 6). Fill your pie dish (or dishes, if you are using individual ones) with the vegetable mix. Roll out the pastry to fit your dish(es). Brush the inside edge of your dish(es) with egg wash, then place the pastry on top, pinching it around the edge to seal. Using a pastry brush, egg-wash the lid well – this will give the pastry a nice glaze when it’s cooked.
Poke a hole in the middle to allow the steam to escape. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
