Spicy Vegetable Pie Food

LITTLE SPICY VEGGIE PIES

Steps:

• To make the topping, boil the potatoes for 15-20 mins until tender then drain, reserving the water, and mash with the ground and fresh coriander and yogurt until creamy.
• While the potatoes are boiling, heat the oil in a large pan, add the ginger and fry briefly, tip in the curry powder and garlic, stirring quickly as you don't want it to burn, then tip in a can of chickpeas with the water from the can. Stir well, then mash in the pan to smash them up a bit, then tip in the second can of chickpeas, again with the water from the can, along with the carrots, corn, bouillon and tomato purée. Simmer for 5-10 mins, adding some of the potato water, if needed, to loosen.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Spoon the filling into four individual pie dishes (each about 10cm wide, 8cm deep) and top with the mash, smoothing it to seal round the edges of the dishes. If you're following our Healthy Diet Plan, bake two for 25 mins until golden, and cook half the spinach, saving the rest of the bag for another day. Cover and chill the remaining two pies to eat another day. Will keep in the fridge for four days - if following the Healthy Diet Plan pop the extra two pies in the freezer for the end of the week. If freezing, to reheat, bake from frozen for 40-45 mins until golden and piping hot.

CURRIED VEGETABLE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Heat oil in a large pan, then cook the onion, garlic and chilli for 2-3 mins until tender. Stir in the garam masala, turmeric and cumin, then cook for a further 2-3 mins.
• Add carrots, parsnip, cauliflower and courgette to the pan with 300ml/1/2pt water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 mins until the vegetables are almost tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, then mix with the peas.
• Melt butter in a small pan, stir in flour, then cook for 1 min. Add reserved vegetable cooking liquid, then cook, stirring, until it forms a thick sauce. Simmer for 3 mins, stirring, then remove from heat and stir in the yogurt, coriander, vegetables and seasoning. Leave to cool.
• Spoon the mixture into a 900ml pie dish. Brush the rim of the dish with water. Roll out pastry and use to cover the pie, pressing firmly on to the rim. Trim edges and press firmly to seal. Make a hole in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape. Brush with the milk, place on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 mins.

SLIGHTLY SPICY GRILLED VEGETABLE PIE

Steps:

• To make the crust, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and cayenne in a bowl. Rub in the butter. Take out 1/4 cup of the mixture and set aside. Add the ice water and stir just until mixture forms into a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the crust between 2 layers of plastic wrap. Remove the top layer of plastic and invert into a 9-inch pie plate. Peel off the plastic, fit the dough into the plate and trim the edges. Line the pie plate with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 25 minutes. Carefully lift out the foil and set the crust aside.
• To make the beans, place all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Set aside. To make the vegetables, season the zucchini with salt and pepper. In a bowl, toss together the roasted peppers and grilled corn. Season with salt and pepper.
• To assemble, spread half of the bean puree over the crust. Top with half of the zucchini, pressing it into the bean puree. Top with half of the pepper mixture. Spread the remaining bean puree over the pepper mixture. Top with the remaining pepper mixture and then the zucchini, pressing each layer down. Sprinkle the top with the reserved crumb mixture. Bake for 45 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

SPICY VEGETABLE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200c/gas 6.
• heat oil in a large pan. then cook onions, garlic and chilli on low heat for 5 minute.stir in garam masala. tumeric and cumin and cook for futher1min.
• Add all vegetables except peas stir them inches now add 300ml/1/2 pint water and bring to boil and then simmer for 5 min.drain but reserve the liquid and add peas to vegetables.
• Melt butter in pan, stir in flour, then cook for 1 min.then stir in reserved liquid and cook till thick sauce is formed. remove from fire and stir in yogurt, corriander and vegetables.add seasoning to your requirement. Leave it to cool.
• Spoon mixture into pie dish and top it with mash or short crust pastry. If usinfg potato mash, stir in paprika while mashing potatos, make small hole in middle and bake in oven for 25 to 30 minute.

MOROCCAN SPICED PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Dry fry the seeds briefly in a small pan over a medium heat until toasty - don't let them burn. Grind coarsely using a pestle and mortar (or a bowl and the end of a rolling pin), then mix in the paprika, cinnamon, 1⁄2 tsp salt and 4 tbsp oil. Tip the squash into a roasting tin, pour over the spiced oil and toss. Roast for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan, add the shallots and cook, stirring, until they start to brown. Stir in the ginger and 100g/4oz each almonds and pistachios.When brown, toss in the cranberries, 2 tbsp honey, and the spinach so it wilts. Take off the heat and stir into the squash, when it comes out of the oven. Set aside.
• In a food processor, whizz the chickpeas with the garlic, cumin, remaining oil, lemon juice, 2 tbsp water and salt and pepper to make houmous. Stir in the coriander.
• Melt the butter in a small pan. Put a loose-bottomed 28cm quiche tin on a baking sheet and brush with some butter. Keeping the filo covered with a damp cloth so it doesn't dry out, lay one sheet over half of the tin so that it hangs over the edge by about 10cm. Lay another sheet on the other side, so it overlaps the first in the centre and hangs over the opposite edge. Brush with butter. Lay two more filo sheets in the opposite direction in the same way and brush with more butter.
• Build up two more layers in this way, so you use a total of eight sheets of filo. Pile half the squash mixture in the centre of the pastry. Spread over the houmous and then the rest of the squash mixture.One at a time, bring the edge of each filo sheet up to the centre to cover the filling, creating voluptuous folds as you go. Brush carefully with more butter. (If making a day ahead, cover now with cling film and chill. To reheat, remove the pie from the fridge, heat the oven, then bake for 35-40 minutes.)
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, until crisp and golden. Just before the pie is ready, reheat any remaining butter in the pan, tip in the rest of the nuts and fry until golden. Spoon in the 4 remaining tbsps of honey and, when it melts, take off the heat and pour over the pie. Serve with Harissa yogurt sauce (mix the yogurt and milk together to make a thin sauce, stir in the herbs and season. Swirl in harissa to taste) and lemon wedges.

SPICY CHICKEN KORMA & VEGETABLE PIE OR PIES

Steps:

• Place onon and chilli in a microwave safe jug with the curry paste and butter.
• Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes.
• Add the vegetables and stir well, microwave for another 2 minutes.
• Stir in the flour, microwave for another 2 minutes and then stir in the coconut milk.
• Microwave for another one minute or until thick.
• Stir in the water chestnuts, chicken and coriander and allow to coool.
• Line pie trays with pastry, and fill pastry cases with cooled filling.
• Make a lid for each pie out of pastry and secure to the top of each pie gently pressing the edges together.
• At this stage you can glaze the pie tops with milk or egg wash if you like to help them brown.
• Bake at 180.C for approx 40 mins or until pastry is firm and golden brown.
• Wait for them to cool slightly before turning out. Enjoy!

WINTER VEGETABLE PIE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a flameproof dish over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 10 mins until softened, then stir in the flour and cook for a further 2 mins. Add the carrots, cauliflower, garlic and rosemary, and cook for 5 mins, stirring regularly, until they begin to soften.
• Tip the tomatoes into the vegetables along with a can full of water. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 mins, then remove the lid and cook for 10-15 mins more, until the sauce has thickened and the vegetables are cooked. Season, stir in the peas and cook for 1 min more.
• Meanwhile, boil the potatoes for 10-15 mins until tender. Drain, then place back in the saucepan and mash. Stir through enough milk to reach a fairly soft consistency, then add the remaining olive oil and season.
• Heat the grill. Spoon the hot vegetable mix into a pie dish, top with the mash and drag a fork lightly over the surface. Place under the grill for a few mins until the top is crisp golden brown.

IMPOSSIBLY EASY VEGETABLE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Grease 9-inch pie plate. Heat 1 inch salted water to boiling in medium saucepan. Add broccoli; cover and heat to boiling. Cook about 5 minutes or until almost tender; drain thoroughly. Stir together cooked broccoli, onion, bell pepper and cheese in pie plate.
• Stir remaining ingredients until blended. Pour into pie plate.
• Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes.

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.