Spicy Vege Pie

This spicy vegetable pie is so utterly delicious and really very like samosas, only there's no deep frying. The pastry is simple and delicious, the filling can be made with leftovers, or designed with great care.
It's good to think ahead before making.
Firstly, pop 113 gms of butter (a stick in US terms & this amount was perfect, so 113 grams it is!) in to the freezer while you peel and cook 3 potatoes- Agria would be great.
So the filling:
Peel, dice and cook 3 Agria (or other mashing potatoes) until tender, pour off the water.
Mash.
In a smaller pot lightly cook some cauliflower- 1&1/2 cups is what we are after.
In a frypan or skillet fry a chopped red onion, a diced carrot and 1/2 a red pepper in a little olive oil.
Towards the end of cooking add 1 tsp cumin seeds and some crumbled curry leaves, a good grating of fresh ginger and fresh turmeric (dry will do too) if you have them.
Add a tsp of good salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Then add 1/2 cup of frozen peas and continue cooking until they are defrosted.
Combine the mashed potato and the pan full of flavours together, add a tbsp of olive oil and either a big squeeze of lemon juice or some Mango powder (found in Indian shops).
Lastly, snip in some fresh coriander.
That's the filling. Taste and see if you need to adjust the seasonings.

Now the pastry: in to a bowl measure out 1 cup of white flour and 1/2 cup of wholemeal flour.
Grate the frozen butter into the flour and mix it in as you go so that it doesn't get clumpy.
Mix a little with your hands until it all looks like rolled oats but don't over handle and don't fuss too much.
Add 1 tsp of salt, and 2 tsps of toasted cumin- just use the pan that you cooked all the onion etc in.
Cook for a round 2 minutes stirring as you go so that it doesn't over toast.
Add a pinch of sugar.
Make a well in the centre and add 1/4 c of milk and a 1/4 c of yoghurt.
Mix all together with a spoon until it comes together. Kneed a little but not too much.
Place in a small bowl & cover with bees wrap and put into the fridge for an hour, or overnight.
Once you're ready to put it all together.
Turn on the oven to 200 degrees C
Cut the pastry dough in half and roll out on to the bench or a board that is very lightly floured.
Make a rectangle (or any shape that takes your fancy including "handpies").
Spread the filling through the middle- making a hill as you go and leave a little space at the edges.
Roll out the other half and place on top.
Use a good heavy fork to seal around the edges.
Make some slits across the pastry with a knife.
This is so much fun to make "together" with someone you love.
Brush the top with a little melted butter (or beaten egg).
Bake for 10-15 minutes and use fan grill until it's all looking golden and smelling amazing- around another 15 minutes.
This is so delicious just as it is and brilliant served with Samosa chutney from an Indian shop.

The original recipe and inspiration came from this wonderful post here.

Katie X 

Ras el Hanout

Ras el Hanout: a blend of spices that has flavoured the dishes of Morocco for generations, widely regarded as the best of spice concoctions & frequently created freehand. The mix can be found at specialist shops. Vetro in Ahuriri appears to be our only stockist in Hawke's Bay or you can make your own with a small collection of spices & a mortar & pestle. Keriann of Sweet Mary told me about this lovely dish & I am so glad that she did! This was my go at making the mix.

 Here is a good basic recipe from Rowan Bishop for Ras el Hanout using powdered spices
1tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
2 tsps tumeric
2 tsps cinnamon
2 tsps ginger
1 tsp coriander
1tsp cumin
2 tbsps paprika
1 tsp ground fennel seeds
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
Mix altogether well & store in an airtight jar in a cool place.

I like to make a very simple Ras el Hanout using potatoes and my wonderful old ranzware casserole dish.
Place 1 chopped onion in a casserole dish, cook gently to soften in a little olive oil.
Add 3 or 4 diced potatoes (agria are good)
2 tbsps of Ras el Hanout spice mix.
1 tsp good salt & 1 tsp of raw sugar...sounds strange but the little bit of sugar brings out all the flavours.
1/2 or 1 can of diced tomatoes or 6/8 diced fresh ones.
1 can of water.
Simmer gently with the lid on for an hour & a half or until the sauce has thickened & the potatoes are tender. Add more water if necessary.

 this one had olives added to it towards the end of cooking & the little less tomato.

In the winter months the combination of potato & celeriac is really good. I have also been adding garlic flower heads as in the picture..lovely mild flavour, just crumble in.

 This can of tomatoes had sliced olives in it. You can also make Ras el Hanout with chicken which is very good too.

Choko is great with this dish. Serve with a delicious crusty bread.

Choko are very useful & cheap through the winter here & are often grown by Chinese market gardeners. they taste like kamo kamo &/or firm courgette. 

They are also known as cheyote, vegetable pear or a christophene etc in other parts of the world. I must just add that apparently in Aussie slang "He couldn't train a choko to grow up a dunny wall" is used to refer to a dimwitted, incompetent or incapable person! 

I also found the assurance that a choko vine would grow in your old shoe if you put a piece of fruit in there, probably while your foot was still in it! So they are easy to grow. If you have an old car, shed or ugly fence lurking around that you fancy hiding try choko!

Katie X