Feta And Vegetable Pie Food

CHEESY VEGETABLE PIE

Steps:

• Heat a dash of oil in a large frying pan, and add the diced carrot, onion, peas, and sweetcorn. Cook over a medium heat for around 10 minutes, until any excess water from the frozen veg has cooked off, and the carrot is beginning to soften. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and asparagus, and cook for a further 5 minutes. Then add the cannellini beans, and mix to combine.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan, over a fairly low heat. Add the flour, and mix to form a roux (a thick paste). Add the milk a little at a time, stirring until smooth each time before adding more. You can find more detailed instructions for how to make a white sauce here. When you've used all the milk, and the sauce is completely smooth, add the herbs, salt, pepper, and the grated cheese. Mix over a low heat until the cheese has melted.
• Combine the cheese sauce with the cooked vegetables, transfer to a suitable baking dish (mine measured 8 x 8 inches), and set aside to cool for 10 minutes or so. Turn the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) to begin heating up.
• Cut a piece of ready-rolled puff pastry to fit the top of your baking dish (you can roll it out a little thinner if needed), with at least an inch excess all the way round. When the vegetable mixture has cooled a little, place the pastry on top, draping it over the edges of the baking dish. It's ideal if it's not sitting directly on top of the vegetables (but it doesn't matter too much). Cut a ventilation hole in the centre of the pastry, and crimp tightly around the edges of the baking dish with a fork. Pulling downwards, to ensure it's sealed thoroughly, tear away any excess pastry. You can use the scraps to create a design for the top of your pie, if you like (I made a few simple leaf shapes) - just place them on top. Lightly brush the top of the pie with milk, and sprinkle on a small amount of finely grated parmesan.
• Bake for around 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown, crispy, and puffed up. Serve warm.

VEGETABLE FILO PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish with olive oil.
• Place vegetables in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, about 2 to 6 minutes; drain.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine egg, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, feta cheese and melted butter. Stir in salt, pepper, dill and onion powder. Fold steamed vegetables into egg mixture.
• Lay 4 sheets phyllo dough in the prepared dish and brush with olive oil. Lay 4 more sheets of dough in the dish, so that the edges overlap in the pan but most of the dough extends beyond the sides of the dish.
• Spoon vegetable mixture into dish and fold dough across the top. Brush with olive oil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

GREEN VEGETABLE AND FETA PIE

Steps:

• Heat a splash of oil in a large, non-stick frying pan and add the spring greens and a pinch of salt. Fry for 4-5 minutes, until softened and slightly caramelised. Tip onto a plate lined with a couple of sheets of kitchen paper and leave to cool.
• Add a little more oil to the pan, then fry the courgettes and garlic for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add to the plate with the spring greens and cover with more kitchen paper. Put a second plate on top and press down to squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible.
• Tip into a large bowl and add the butter beans, spinach, eggs, feta, lemon zest, herbs and nutmeg, if using. Give everything a good stir, breaking up the butter beans as you mix. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• Grease the inside of a non-stick, oven-proof frying pan with olive oil and lay a sheet of filo on top. Drizzle with oil, then top with a second sheet of filo, laid at a right angle to the first. Continue layering the filo in alternate directions, drizzling with oil between each sheet, until you've used up all the pastry.
• Spoon the filling into the middle of the pastry, then gather the edges in the centre and press together to seal, using oil to help. Brush all over with the melted butter, making sure the surface is completely covered and allowing any excess butter to run down the edges. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds.
• Set the pan over a medium-high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes until the underside of the pastry starts to turn golden-brown. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden and crisp.
• Leave the pie to cool slightly, then slide onto a board and slice into wedges to serve.

SHEET PAN BAKED FETA WITH SUMMER VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Combine the vinegar, rosemary sprig and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until thick and syrupy and reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. Remove and discard the rosemary sprig.
• Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Scatter the corn, peppers, zucchini and scallions on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss. Nestle the slabs of feta in among the vegetables. Roast until the vegetables are tender and the feta is warmed through and softened, about 15 minutes.
• While the feta and vegetables roast, combine 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir in the bulgur. Remove from the heat and cover. Let sit for 8 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
• Once the vegetables are tender, turn on the broiler and move the baking sheet to the top rack of the oven. Broil until the cheese and vegetables are browned in places, about 2 minutes.
• To serve, divide the escarole among 4 shallow bowls. Top with the warm bulgur, vegetables and feta. Drizzle with the balsamic reduction and serve.

SAVORY FETA PIES

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute onion until soft, about 2 minutes. Add beef and brown slightly; drain excess fat. Stir in tomato, garlic powder, coriander, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and cook until meat is evenly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Remove one pie crust from pan and roll out on a lightly floured surface. Cut pastry into four 6 inch circles; place circles on lined cookie sheet and lightly brush with egg beat. Place 1/4 cup of feta cheese onto each circle and top with some beef mixture, leaving enough room to seal dough 'pockets'.
• Remove second pie crust from pan and roll out on lightly floured surface. Cut pastry into four 6 inch circles, as with first pie crust. Brush one side of each circle with egg beat and place, egg-side-down, on top of prepared pie circles. Pinch crusts together to seal around the edges. Use dough scraps to fill any holes or tears in the pie 'pockets'. Brush tops with egg beat and make a small slit in the top of each pie (to allow steam to escape).
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown.

GRIDDLED VEGETABLE & FETA TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Pop 33 x 23cm baking tray in the oven to heat up. Brush a griddle pan with about 1 tsp of the oil and griddle the aubergines until nicely charred, then remove. Repeat with the courgettes and onions, using a little more oil if you need to.
• Remove the tray from the oven and brush with a little oil. Brush a large sheet of filo with oil, top with another sheet, add a little more oil and repeat with the final sheet. Transfer the pastry to the hot tray, pushing it into the edges a little.
• Arrange the griddled veg on top, then season. Add the tomatoes, cut-side up, then drizzle on the vinegar and any remaining oil. Crumble on the feta and sprinkle with oregano. Cook for about 20 mins until crispy and golden. Serve with the dressed mixed salad leaves.

CRISPY GREEK-STYLE PIE

Steps:

• Put the spinach into a large pan. Pour over a couple tbsp water, then cook until just wilted. Tip into a sieve, leave to cool a little, then squeeze out any excess water and roughly chop. Roughly chop the tomatoes and put into a bowl along with the spinach, feta and eggs. Mix well.
• Carefully unroll the filo pastry. Cover with some damp sheets of kitchen paper to stop it drying out. Take a sheet of pastry and brush liberally with some of the sundried tomato oil. Drape oil-side down in a 22cm loosebottomed cake tin so that some of the pastry hangs over the side. Brush oil on another piece of pastry and place in the tin, just a little further round. Keep placing the pastry pieces in the tin until you have roughly three layers, then spoon over the filling. Pull the sides into the middle, scrunch up and make sure the filling is covered. Brush with a little more oil.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cook the pie for 30 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the cake tin, slice into wedges and serve with salad.

IMPOSSIBLY EASY ROASTED PEPPERS AND FETA CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Grease pie plate, 9x1 1/4 inches.
• Mix bacon, onions and bell peppers in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese. Stir remaining ingredients in medium bowl until blended. Pour into pie plate.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes.

ROASTED VEGETABLES AND FETA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 º F (190ºC). Combine mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, onion, and garlic in 9 x 13 inch (3L) baking dish.
• Stir remaining ingredients except for feta in a small bowl. Drizzle over vegetables and stir in to evenly coat.
• Bake in oven for 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese. Serve.

SPICED LENTIL & SPINACH PIES

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a wide-based pan. Add the onion and cook over a low heat for 10 mins, stirring, until softened. Mix in the garlic, ginger and spices and cook for 1 min more. Tip in the lentils, pour over the vegetable stock, season and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, then cover and cook for 20 mins until the lentils are tender.
• Meanwhile, heat half the butter in a large pan, add the spinach and cook until wilted. Season, then drain. Stir the spinach through the lentils with the lemon zest and juice and coriander, then leave to cool.
• Mix together all the ingredients for the egg wash. Assemble the pies as directed in the pastry recipe, adding a spoonful of chutney to the middle of each. Glaze with the spiced egg wash before baking.