A tasty, healthy treat for the winter months. Shop-bought pastry is suitable also, but this recipe includes how to make your own from scratch.
Ingredients
- 4 sticks of celery
- 4 carrots
- 2 parsnips
- turnip
- 150 g button mushrooms (use any mushrooms of choice)
- 2 large cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tblsp fresh herbs finely chopped (parsley, thyme and oregano)
- extra virgin olive oil
- shortcrust pastry:
- 90 g wholemeal spelt flour
- 90 g white spelt flour
- 90 g unsalted butter or chilled sunflower margarine
- pinch of sea salt
- onion gravy
- 1 onion diced finely
- 250 ml vegetable stock
- 2 dessertspoo white spelt flour (plain flour can also be used)
- 1 tblsp butter or sunflower margarine
- soy sauce to taste
- 1 beaten free range egg
Method
- Sift both flours into a food processor. Add the salt and the butter straight from the fridge cut into cubes. Pulse for a few seconds until the mix resembles bread crumbs.
- With the motor running add 2/3 dessertspoons of chilled water gradually until the dough comes together from the edges of the processor bowl. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- If making by hand; sift the flour into a bowl. Add the salt and butter.
- Rub the butter into the flour with your finger tips until the mix resembles bread crumbs.
- Add the chilled water gradually until a ball can be formed. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Any fine wholemeal or white pastry flour can be used to make this dough. By using spelt flour it will make the pastry wheat free and more digestible.
- Next: Melt the butter in a pot and fry the onions over a low heat until soft. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly add the stock, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- Return to the heat and bring to a boil, lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes. Season with soy sauce to make a rich sauce.
- Wash the celery and slice into 1 inch thick pieces. Heat some olive oil in a large pot and add the celery and saute for a few minutes.
- Wipe the mushrooms and add to the pot along with the garlic. Peel the carrots, halve lengthwise and slice into 1 inch pieces, add to the pot.
- Continue stirring the vegetables. Peel the parsnips, halve lengthwise and slice into 1 inch pieces. Add to the pot.
- Dice turnip into 1 inch pieces and add to the vegetables. Add 1/2 inch of water, a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, place a lid on top and simmer for 7/8 minutes. Stir in the herbs and season with pepper. Set aside to cool. Make the gravy.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas4). Use a 9 inch round baking dish or a 9in x 5 in baking dish.
- Stir the gravy into the vegetables. Season with soy sauce. Pour into the baking dish.
- Roll out the pastry to 1/4 cm thick. Cut to 1 inch larger than the baking dish. Lay the pastry on top of the vegetables and gravy.
- Turn the edges under. Brush with beaten egg. If there is pastry left over cut out some shapes and lay them on the pastry and brush with egg also.
- Prick the pastry twice with a fork.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30/40 minutes until golden.
- Serve with creamy mash potatoes, green vegetables or creamy polenta.
