Summer Vegetable Pie Recipes

EASY VEGETABLE PIE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan, then stir in the flour and mustard powder and cook for 1 min. Gradually stir in the milk until smooth with no lumps, then keep stirring until the mixture begins to bubble and thickens to a creamy sauce. Remove from the heat, then stir in all but a handful of the grated cheese.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and bring a large pan of water to the boil. Cook the potato slices for 5 mins, tip in the broccoli and cauliflower for another 3 mins, then finally add the peas for 1 more min. Drain all the veg and pat dry. Reserve enough potato slices to cover the top of the finished dish, then gently stir the rest of the vegetables into the sauce with the chives.
• Tip into a deep ovenproof dish, arrange over the reserved potato slices, then sprinkle with remaining cheddar. Bake for 20-25 mins until the topping is golden and crisp, then serve straight from the dish.

VEGGIE SPIRAL PIE WITH SPICED TOMATO SAUCE & CHOPPED SALAD

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan, tip in the cumin and coriander seeds and toast for a few mins until you can smell their fragrance and they turn a shade darker, then tip into a pestle and mortar. Add the oil to the pan, then tip in the onions and cook slowly until golden and caramelised - this will take 15-20 mins. Meanwhile, bring 2 pans of water to the boil. Add the lentils to 1 pan and cook for 20 mins. Put the rice and a pinch of salt in the other pan and cook for 5 mins (it should still have a little bite). Drain both pans, and leave the lentils and rice to steam-dry.
• Boil the kettle. Stir the garlic into the onions and cook for 1-2 mins over a low heat. Grind the whole spices in the pestle and mortar to a fine powder and add these to the onion mixture. Grate half of the nutmeg and add to the onions with the turmeric and allspice.
• Put the spinach in a colander in the sink, pour over a kettle of boiling water, then rinse under cold water. Use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Finely chop the spinach and add to the onions with the herbs, lemon zest and juice and the rice, lentils and plenty of seasoning. Leave to cool before stirring through the feta.
• To assemble the pie, you'll need plenty of space on your work surface - about 1 metre. Unwrap the filo and cover with a damp tea towel. Have your bowls of melted butter and beaten egg to hand, as well as a pastry brush for each. Working quickly, lay 4 sheets of filo end to end, running along the length of your work surface, and butter each piece generously, overlapping each sheet by about 10cm. Top with another 4 sheets, butter well, then repeat with 3 final sheets of filo (save the last one to cover any cracks later on.)
• Spoon the rice filling down the centre of the filo, leaving 5cm free on either end. Brush the egg around the edges and tuck the ends in to cover the filling. Starting from one end, roll the filo over the filling, working your way along until you have a long filo sausage. From one end, start to coil the sausage back on itself - if the pastry cracks, patch it over the hole with your reserved piece of filo. When the coil is complete, slide onto a tray lined with baking parchment, brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. You can now cover it loosely with cling film and chill for up to 24 hrs.
• When you're ready to bake, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the pie on the middle shelf and bake for 45 mins until golden and crisp. Meanwhile, tip the ingredients for the tomato sauce into a pan, season and bubble for 30 mins until rich and thick.
• For the salad, halve the cucumber through the centre, then cut in half lengthways and chop into small cubes. Put in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and season well. Set aside until ready to serve.
• Leave the pie to cool for 20 mins before serving with the sauce, salad and a large bowl of yogurt.

SUMMER VEGETABLE PIE

Steps:

• Make crust by sifting flours and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in margarine (or butter) until it resembles corn meal. Blend in water one tablespoon at a time until dough holds together.
• On a floured board, knead dough a few times and then pat it into a thick patty or disc. Place in baggie or wrap in plastic wrap and put in refrigerate for one hour or until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 375-degrees F.
• Melt butter (or margarine) in a large skillet over med low heat. Add garlic, onion and celery. Saute for 5-10 minutes or until onion is tender.
• Stir in zucchini, carrots and mushrooms. Continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Stir in peas and corn and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Stir in honey, mustard, salt, pepper and sage. Remove from heat.
• Press lightly against vegetable mixture to drain out any excess liquid and discard extra liquid.
• Roll out crust to fit a 9" pie dish or quiche pan (I use a quiche dish).
• Place in dish and trim edges and crimp or make decorative edging.
• Prick bottom with a fork and brush with milk or egg wash if desired. If desired you can precook crust for 10 minutes.
• Spoon vegetable mixture into prepared crust. Cover with tomatoes and cheese and sprinkle with parsley.
• Brush crust edges with milk or egg wash.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes (if crust was precooked baking time is 40-45 minutes).
• Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting.