Spiced Vegetable Pies

It is officially the season of crisp walks, cosy evenings and perhaps most importantly, comfort food. These spiced vegetable pies make the most of the seasonal vegetables on offer and are packed with flavour – perfect for when you’ve got a little more time on your hands. You can of course use shop bought pastry, but there’s something extra special (and satisfying) about making it yourself.

INGREDIENTS (Makes 6 mini pies or one large pie)

• 1 white onion
• 225g peeled and chopped potatoes
• 250g chopped carrots
• 225g peeled and chopped celeriac
• 110g peeled chopped parsnips
• 110g chopped chestnut mushrooms
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 heaped tsp cumin seeds
• 2 heaped tsp coriander seeds
• 2 heaped tsp turmeric
• 2 Tbsp plain flour
• 300ml vegetable stock
• Tsp sugar

Pastry

• 450g plain flour (plus a little extra for dusting)
• Sea salt
• 150g unsalted butter
• 175ml water
• 1 free range egg (egg wash)

METHOD

1. Cut the vegetables into uniform cubes of about 2cm and set aside.
2. Add the cumin seeds and coriander seeds to a pan and cook for 1-2 minutes – do not let them burn – before tipping into a small dish with the minced garlic, turmeric and a pinch of salt and pepper. Then crush together before setting aside.
3. Add all your vegetables to the pan with 2 tbsp olive oil and give it a good mix. Sweat on a gentle heat, stirring occasionally so they don’t catch on the bottom. Remove from the heat and add the spice mix. Sprinkle over the flour and sugar then stir well before placing back on the heat.
4. Gradually add the vegetable stock, stirring all the time. Once all the stock is in the pot, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The vegetables need to be slightly tender, not mushy.
5. Whilst the vegetables cook, the pastry can be prepared. Begin by sieving the flour and a good pinch of sea salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre. Dice the block of butter and add to a saucepan with the water and bring to the boil. Pour the liquid into the flour bowl all at one and beat together quickly, until smooth. The pastry dough will be too hot and too soft to roll out at first. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before rolling out on a clean flour dusted work surface. Be sure to dust the top of the dough too, to stop the rolling pin from sticking. Roll until it is roughly 5mm thick.
6. Once the vegetable mix is ready, set aside to cool slightly before evenly spooning into the pie dishes. Add the pastry tops and pinch the edges to help them stick to the dish. Brush the tops with egg wash and pierce a small hole in the top of each with a sharp knife.
7. For decoration, you can use the offcuts to create patterns on the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Some pies may leak a little, but that’s part of the charm of making a homemade pie.
8. Serve with tenderstem broccoli and for an extra comfort food fix, creamy mash.

Top tip: Add cooked chicken thigh for the carnivores in your life, it will remain tender during cooking and complement the spices beautifully.

Images: HM