This is such a delicious vegetarian meal and so simple to make. This recipe will make one big pie or 4 smaller pastries (which aren’t really that small). I sometimes double to recipe and make a big pie and several smaller pastries. Depending on how adventurous your kids are you can adapt the flavour accordingly. If I am doing this just for grown ups I use Harissa paste to give it an extra kick but it’s really tasty without. Give it a go. It’s a winner!
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 1 clove garlic
- 200g button mushrooms, diced
- A few handfuls of baby spinach
- 150g jar roasted capsicum strips, drained and sliced
- 800g canned lentils, drained, rinsed
- 2 tsp ‘flavour’ – Harissa paste, Chermoula, curry powder or chutney (optional)
- 2 tbs mango chutney, plus extra to serve
- 375g block frozen puff pastry, thawed or puff pastry sheets
- 1/2 cup finely grated cheddar, plus extra to sprinkle
- 1 egg, beaten
- * Serve with onion relish, mango chutney or tomato chutney
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a tray with baking paper.
Heat olive oil and a knob of butter in a pan over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic. Add mushrooms, stirring, for a few minutes. Add capsicum, lentils, & flavour (i.e Harissa). Season, then cook for 2-3 minutes until well combined. Add a couple of generous handfuls of spinach until it wilts slightly. Turn off heat and allow to cool completely.
If using a puff pastry block, roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to form a 40cm x 30cm rectangle. Spread half the lentil mixture down the centre, top with cheese, then remaining lentil mix. Brush pastry edges with water, then fold over to enclose filling, pressing to seal. Place on tray, seam-side down. If using pastry ready rolled sheets, the same process applies. If using a pie dish, lightly butter the dish and use a top and bottom pastry sheet to enclose filling.
Brush pastries with lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with extra cheese. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden. In winter serve with mashed potato and extra chutney. In summer serve with Greek yoghurt and green salad.
* For a kid friendly version of this dish I omit the Harissa paste.
* Individual pastries are great to freeze.
