Mushroom, Chestnut & Veggie Pie

Oven: 190/200 deg.C - bake for approx. 1/2 hr. till golden.

Ingredients:

Pastry made with:

8ozs. Self-Raising Flour (Use Plain Flour if you like a crisper crust)

Pinch of salt

just about 4ozs. hard butter - in pieces

approx. 4 bls. cold water

Add the butter to the flour and salt, and whizz in your processor until breadcrumbs are formed.

Add the cold water and process again until you have a nice ball of dough.

Remove this and chill (covered) in fridge until needed.

Pie Filling:

White part of small leek - washed and sliced thinly

1 medium white onion - peeled and roughly chopped

1 large clove of garlic - chopped

approx.  4ozs. of chestnut mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped

approx. 4ozs. 'ready cooked' chestnuts (more if you wish) - large crumbled bits

1or 2  large potatoes - peeled and boiled until just cooked through  - then roughly chopped

Salt, Pepper and some dried thyme and oregano

Olive or Sunflower Oil + little knob of butter

1 tbls. cornflour

3/4 pt. hot water

1 tsp. yeast extract (if wanted)

1 veggie stock cube, or "Boullion"

1 egg - beaten - this is for glazing the pastry

1. Saute the leek and onion until just softening and add The Mushrooms, chestnuts and potato

Cook for a few minutes, stirring so it doesn't stick to the base of the pan.

2. Slake the Cornflour with a little cold water, add the rest of the water, stock cube and other seasonings.

The liquid should just about cover the veggies.  Stirring.

3. Cook gently until sauce has thickened - maybe ...... about 1/2 hr., then taste for seasoning.

Set aside to cool slightly.

4. Place Filling into your baking dish.

5. Roll out your pastry lid and place over the top - trimming off the excess.

Press down slightly and make a 'fork' pattern around the edge - or crimp.

Make a small hole in the centre, 

6. then glaze with beaten egg.

Add decorations if you have any spare pastry, and glaze these too.

This is delicious hot or reheated in the micro, eaten with a cooked green vegetable. 

You may want to make a little extra gravy.

You could also make this pie with a base layer as well as a lid. 

It's quite nice cold as picnic grub!

TIP: If making a pastry base, prick with a fork and sprinkle a little semolina or cornmeal over the base to stop it from going soggy, before putting in the filling.

(PS: I tried to clean up the plate in Photoshop - but didn't have much luck!  However, the Pie is delicious anyway!)