Moroccan Chickpea & Feta Pie
Probably the fastest pie in this book, this spiced chickpea and feta pie is also one of the tastiest. The crunchy filo provides a great contrast in texture to the soft filling beneath and looks deliciously dramatic when placed on the table.
SERVES 4
20ml light olive oil
2 Spanish onions, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
1 teaspoon ras el hanout
1 teaspoon harissa paste
200g tinned chopped tomatoes
1 x 280g jar marinated chargrilled peppers, drained and sliced
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
150g feta cheese, broken into 2cm chunks
½ bunch of mint, roughly chopped
½ bunch of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
5 filo pastry sheets
light olive oil spray
sea salt
Equipment
large tagine or ovenproof dish
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/gas mark 6.
Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced onions and garlic and gently sauté for 15 minutes or until soft. Add the ras el hanout and harissa paste and continue cooking for 1 minute. Stir in the tinned tomatoes and cook for a further 10 minutes, until the tomato sauce has thickened. Add the peppers and chickpeas, season and then set aside to cool a little.
Gently fold the feta, mint and parsley into the pie filling and spoon the mixture into a large tagine or ovenproof dish.
One at a time, lay the filo sheets on a chopping board and lightly coat them with the olive oil spray and a sprinkling of salt. Arrange the oiled filo sheets on the top of the pie filling, scrunching them up for added texture and height.
Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake the pie for 20 minutes, turning the dish around halfway through the cooking time so that the filo colours evenly.
Moroccan Chickpea & Feta Pie
Tomato, Goats’ Cheese & Onion Lattice
Served with a simple light salad and a chilled white wine, this tart is just as good eaten at room temperature as it is piping hot.
SERVES 4
8 vine-ripened plum tomatoes
20ml olive oil
6 small sweet white onions (around 500g), peeled and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced
½ teaspoon table salt
500g rough puff pastry (or shop-bought puff pastry)
20ml extra-virgin olive oil
3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
150g goats’ cheese
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for brushing
Preheat the oven to 150°C fan/170°C/gas mark 3. Slice four of the tomatoes into three thick slices each and then roughly cut the remaining tomatoes into odd shapes – aim for five or six pieces from each. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and lay the tomatoes evenly spaced over the tray. Place the tray in the oven and roast the tomatoes for 25 minutes or until semi-dried. Remove the tray from the oven and set aside for the tomatoes to cool.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and garlic with half of the salt then gently sauté for 15 minutes or until soft. Remove the pan from the heat and place alongside the tomatoes to cool.
Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out to a 40cm x 35cm rectangle. Slide the rolled-out pastry onto the lined tray and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes (or 10 minutes in the freezer). Once chilled, remove the tray from the refrigerator. Cut one 40cm x 12cm strip off the pastry and put this strip back into the refrigerator (this will form the lattice later). Take the remaining 40cm x 23cm rectangle of pastry, which will be the base of the tart. Leaving a 3cm border clear all around the edge, spread the cooled onions and garlic evenly over the pastry.
Put the semi-dried tomatoes in bowl with the olive oil, remaining salt and half the thyme, toss together and then scatter over the onions. Crumble the goats’ cheese into small chunks and scatter between the tomatoes.
Lightly brush the 3cm pastry border with the egg wash. Remove the reserved pastry strip from the refrigerator. Using a lattice roller or the hand-cutting technique (see here for photograph), cut a lattice lengthways into the pastry strip. Gently easing out the lattice, stretch the strip until the edges are aligned with the egg-washed edges of the pastry base and the filling is covered. Crimp over the pastry base onto the lattice (see here) and return to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/gas mark 6. Remove the tart from the refrigerator and gently brush the lattice with the remaining egg wash until well coated. Scatter the remaining thyme leaves over the tart. Place the tray in the hot oven and bake the tart for 25–30 minutes or until the pastry is golden all over and the base is crispy. Slice at the table just before serving.
Tomato, Goats’ Cheese & Onion Lattice
Beet Wellington
I always wanted to create an outstanding vegetarian wellington, one that proudly stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the beef wellington served in the Holborn Dining Room. This was the result. Unlike the beef version, which benefits from a two-day process, this vegetarian wellington is best made on the day of eating because the beetroot start to stain the squash after a while and you lose a little of the beautiful colour contrast when cut through. We added some North African spices to the squash to lift it a little and add another dimension of flavour.
SERVES 6
500g rough puff pastry (or shop-bought puff pastry)
3 egg yolks beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for brushing
1 tablespoon dukkah
pinch of sea salt
For the filling
5 large red beetroot
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 large butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 3cm dice
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled but crushed
30ml olive oil
1 teaspoon harissa paste
1 teaspoon ras el hanout
bunch of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the minted yoghurt
250g strained Greek yoghurt
bunch of fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
lemon juice, to taste
First, prepare the beetroot. Fill a large pan with water and add plenty of salt – the water should taste as salty as seawater. Submerge the beetroot in the water and add the cinnamon stick and cumin seeds. Bring to the boil over a high heat and then lower to a gentle simmer and cook the beetroot for 2–3 hours or until soft enough to poke a skewer through the centre.
Meanwhile, prepare the squash. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C/gas mark 7. Put the diced squash and crushed garlic in a roasting tray, rub with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place the tray in the preheated oven and roast the squash for 20 minutes, stirring with a spatula halfway through the cooking time so everything colours evenly.
Remove the tray from the oven, turn off the heat and transfer the squash to a food processor. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins and add to the squash along with the harissa paste, ras el hanout and parsley. Pulse to a rough consistency, add seasoning to taste and then set aside to cool.
When the beetroot are cooked, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and leave to steam. Once cool, rub the skin and any roots off the beetroot.
Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out to a 40cm x 30cm rectangle. Slide the rolled-out pastry onto the lined tray and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Remove the tray from the refrigerator. Dust off any excess flour from the surface of the rolled-out pastry and then brush liberally with the egg wash.
With one long edge of the pastry facing you, spread one-third of the squash mixture over the bottom third of the pastry rectangle, leaving a 2cm border around the edges. Trim a little from the bottom of each beetroot so they sit flat. Next, trim enough from two sides of each beetroot so they sit flush in a line together. Lay the beetroot in a line down the centre of the squash mixture, placing them tightly together with their flat bottoms facing upwards. Spread the remaining two-thirds of the squash mixture evenly all over the beetroot so they are completely covered.
Working away from you, roll the pastry over the filling into a cigar shape so the flat bottoms of the beetroot are facing downwards and the seam in the pastry is on the underside of the wellington. Leaving a 3cm overlap, trim away any excess pastry, reserving any trimmings for later use when decorating.
Carefully crimp down each end of the wellington (see here). Neaten the pastry so there is just enough to tuck back under the ends. Decorate the surface of the wellington however you prefer (see here). I cut out lots of leaf shapes in different sizes, which I then scored with lines radiating out from the centre. Brush the pastry all over with the egg wash and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/gas mark 6.
Remove the wellington from the refrigerator, brush the pastry with egg wash one final time and sprinkle over the dukkah and a pinch of sea salt. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake the wellington for 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove the tray from the oven and carefully slide the wellington onto a wooden board.
Tip the yoghurt into a small bowl and stir through the chopped mint. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.
Using a serrated knife, cut the wellington into thick slices and serve the minted yoghurt alongside.
Beet Wellington
Cheesy Dauphinoise & Caramelised Onion Pie
This was the first vegetarian pie to make the transition from selling through the window of The Pie Room to being refined enough to be served in the Holborn Dining Room. At the heart of the pie is a warm, comforting embrace of a filling: creamy potato Dauphinoise oozing with melted cheese, caramelised onions and woody herbs, all contained within an elegant pastry crust.
SERVES 8–10
700g shortcrust pastry (or shop-bought)
2 egg yolks beaten with 2 teaspoons water, for brushing
For the potato Dauphinoise
1.5kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled
500ml double cream
500ml semi-skimmed milk
6 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
¼ bunch thyme, leaves picked and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
20g table salt
200g strong Cheddar cheese, grated
For the caramelised onions
20ml vegetable oil
10g unsalted butter
3 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
pinch of salt
Equipment
deep 25cm round ovenproof dish
First, make the potato Dauphinoise. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice the potatoes into 2–3mm thick slices. Put the cream, milk, rosemary, thyme, garlic and salt together in a wide-bottomed saucepan and gently warm over a low heat. Drop the potato slices into the pan, increase the heat and bring up to a gentle simmer. Using a spatula, continuously move the potatoes around to stop them from sticking to the base of the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes. Strain the potatoes, reserving the cooking liquid in a bowl.
Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a frying pan over a low–medium heat. Add the onions to the pan with a pinch of salt and sauté for 15 minutes or until caramelised and well browned.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/gas mark 6.
Line a deep 25cm round ovenproof dish with parchment paper. Lay one-third of the cooked potato slices in the base of the dish, scatter over half of the grated cheese and pour in one-third of the reserved cooking liquid. Using another one-third of the potato slices, lay them in a second layer, then spread all the caramelised onions across the surface and scatter over the remaining cheese. Next, place the remaining potato slices in a final layer and pour another one-third of the reserved cooking liquid over the top. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the top of the potato Dauphinoise and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
Remove the dish from the oven, lift off the parchment paper and pour the remaining cooking liquid over the potato Dauphinoise. Lower the oven temperature to 170°C fan/190°C/gas mark 5 and continue cooking for a further 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft when the tip of a knife is inserted. Rather than being dry, there should still be quite a lot sauce. Place the dish on a wire cooling rack and leave the potato Dauphinoise to cool completely. Once cool, place the potato Dauphinoise in the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour.
Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
Divide the pastry dough into two equal halves and place one half back in the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll the other half of the pastry out to a 5mm thick circle. Trim the pastry circle to 35cm in diameter, slide it onto the lined baking tray and chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Remove the pastry base and the potato Dauphinoise from the refrigerator. Loosen the parchment paper around the edges of the potato Dauphinoise and then quickly flip it over onto the pastry base.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining pastry dough to a 5mm thick circle large enough to cover the top and sides of the potato Dauphinoise. Carefully lay the rolled-out pastry over the potatoes and press it against and down the sides to join with the pastry base. Following the edge of the base, trim away any excess pastry, reserving any trimmings for decorating.
Decorate the surface of the pie however you prefer (see here). I cut out lots of leaf shapes in different sizes, which I then scored with lines radiating out from the centre, and placed over the pie top. I also added a plaited braid around the side of the pie. Brush the pastry all over with the egg wash and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/gas mark 6.
Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake the pie for 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and, using a serrated knife, cut the pie into generous slices and serve while still warm.
Cheesy Dauphinoise & Caramelised Onion Pie
Curried Cauliflower & Potato Pasties
These pasties are as wholesome eaten cold as they are hot and a great picnic item to take on a day out. They rarely make it as far as my picnic basket, though, as I’m forever eating them piping hot out of the oven – they’re the main reason why I constantly have a burnt mouth. Add just a spoonful of mango chutney from a jar on the side for complete perfection.
SERVES 4
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for brushing
mango chutney, to serve
sea salt
For the filling
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 Spanish onion, peeled and thinly sliced
500g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm chunks
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
30g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 whole cauliflower, cut into florets
½ lime
To make the filling, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and let sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook for 10–15 minutes until just starting to colour. Add the potatoes, garlic, ginger, chillies and spices, and cook for a further 5 minutes before adding the tomatoes and 100ml of water. Simmer for a further 15 minutes or until the potatoes are just cooked and the sauce has thickened.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C fan/240°C/gas mark 9.
Rub the cauliflower florets all over with the remaining oil and scatter across a roasting tray. Place the tray in the preheated oven and roast the cauliflower for 15 minutes until softened and coloured.
Lower the oven temperature to 200°C fan/220°C/gas mark 7.
Add the cauliflower to the potato mixture, squeeze in the juice of half a lime, season to taste and then set aside to cool.
Divide the pastry dough into four equal balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball to a 1cm thick circle. Divide the filling mixture equally between the pastry discs, spooning it onto one half of each disc. Fold over the other half of each pastry disc to cover the filling and crimp the edges together (see here).
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the pasties on the lined tray, brush the surface of the pastry all over with the egg wash and add a sprinkle of sea salt. Place the tray in the hot oven and bake the pasties for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve either while still warm or at room temperature with a spoonful of mango chutney.
Curried Cauliflower & Potato Pasties
Red Onion, Carrot & Hazelnut Tatin
A pretty meal of balanced flavours, with the tarragon lifting the earthiness of the carrots and onion and the balsamic providing a little acidity to counteract the sweetness. This tarte tatin can be served for either lunch or dinner. If you have a lot of people coming around, it also makes a knockout vegetarian side dish for a banquet. Be really quite careful flipping over the pan at the end of the cooking – remember to use a cloth on the handle as it will have just come out of the oven.
SERVES 2–3
3 red onions
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon fine table salt
30g whole blanched hazelnuts
15g butter
15g caster sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
150g rough puff pastry (or shop-bought puff pastry)
10g tarragon, leaves picked and placed in iced water
Preheat the oven to 210°C fan/230°C/gas mark 8.
Peel the onions and cut them in half through the roots so they stay intact, then cut each half through the root again into four wedges.
Place the carrot chunks and onion wedges in a large roasting tray, toss with the vegetable oil and salt then spread over the base of the tray. Place the tray in the preheated oven and roast the vegetables for 30 minutes or until they start to colour. Add the hazelnuts to the tray and roast for a further 5 minutes.
In a heavy ovenproof frying pan, warm the butter, sugar and balsamic vinegar until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to the boil and continue cooking until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the roasted vegetables and nuts to the pan, toss well in the mixture and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry dough into a 1cm thick circle large enough to cover the frying pan. Bunch the vegetables and nuts together so there is a 2cm gap around the edge of the pan and then cover with the pastry, tucking it slightly under around the edge. Prick the pastry all over with a fork.
Place the frying pan in the hot oven and bake the tarte tatin for 20 minutes or until the pastry is puffed up and golden. Taking care to protect your hands with a heatproof cloth as the handle will be very hot, remove the pan from the oven. Place a large flat plate over the top of the pan and then quickly flip it over. Dress the top of the tarte tatin with the iced tarragon leaves and serve while warm.
Red Onion, Carrot & Hazelnut Tatin
Mac ’n’ Cheese Pie
Taking out a slice of melting, gooey mac ’n’ cheese from this pie is a magic moment. It is the Gruyère cheese that provides this magic…
SERVES 6–8
700g shortcrust pastry (or shop-bought)
5g butter
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for brushing
For the filling
400g macaroni pasta
60g butter
45g plain flour
850ml whole milk, warmed
100g sundried tomatoes
100g strong Cheddar cheese, grated
80g Gruyère cheese, grated
10g thyme, leaves picked
1 teaspoon table salt
freshly ground black pepper
Equipment
24cm round springform cake tin
Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll one-third of the pastry out to a 5mm thick circle. Slide the rolled-out pastry onto the lined baking tray and chill in the refrigerator until needed.
Grease a 24cm round springform cake tin with the butter. Roll out the remaining two-thirds of the pastry to a 5mm thick circle. Line the greased tin with the rolled-out pastry, firmly pressing it into the base and sides. Leaving 3cm overhanging all the way round, trim the excess pastry around the edge of the tin, reserving the trimmings for decorating. Chill the pastry-lined tin in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or 15 minutes in the freezer).
Next, make the filling. Cook the macaroni in plenty of salted water until tender. Drain the pasta and then rinse under cold running water to stop it cooking. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Lower the heat a little, then add the flour and, stirring continuously, cook for 8 minutes, being careful not to brown the mixture. Add one-third of the milk and whisk into the flour mixture until it has thickened. Add the rest of the milk in thirds, each time bringing the sauce to a simmer until it has thickened and whisking to remove any lumps.
Using paper towels, pat dry the sundried tomatoes to remove any traces of oil. Roughly chop the tomatoes and add to the sauce along with the grated cheeses, thyme leaves, salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Take the pan off the heat. Stir the sauce until the cheeses are fully incorporated, then add the cooked pasta and mix well. Pour the macaroni cheese into a baking dish, cover with clingfilm and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cool, fill the pastry-lined tin with the macaroni cheese.
Preheat the oven to 190°C fan/210°C/gas mark 6½. Remove the tray from the refrigerator and cut the rolled-out pastry into a lid just large enough to fit the top of the pie with a slight overhang. Brush the 3cm overhang of the pastry base with the egg wash and carefully lay the lid over the top of the pie. Firmly press the outer edges of the pastry together. Crimp the edges of the lid (see here) and decorate the pie however you prefer (see here). Lightly brush the pastry all over with the egg wash.
Bake the pie for 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the core temperature is 70°C or above when tested with a digital probe thermometer. Serve while still warm and the macaroni cheese is all gooey and stringy.
Mac ’n’ Cheese Pie