Giveaway pie dish and Winter vegetable and bean pie for British Pie week.

This week its British Pie Week.The nation is celebrating by baking pies of all shapes and sizes. A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that covers or completely contains a filling.You can have sweet pies, savoury pies, open topped pies, filled pies in fact any type of pie as long as it has some form of pastry. The two most common pastries used in pies are Puff pastry or Savoury and Sweet short crust pastry although you can of course use filo pastry and choux pastry too in your pie making.To find out more details about pies you can read the information here.

Pies are very versatile, they can be made with a vast range of ingredients and are perfect as they can be served hot or cold. They are brilliant as travel food for picnics and outings and make a perfect one pot meal to serve on a cold winter's day. Pies can be made in different shapes and sizes. You can bake them in glass dishes, pudding basins, ceramic dishes or metal non stick pie dishes.

Mermaid make a really lovely range of all British collection of high quality cookware that offers a solution for every baking need from roasting dishes and trays through to cake tins and moulds. Mermaid is very popular and it is  loved by professional chefs and home cooks alike, they have been established since 1953. In their pie tins they are currently on offer 25cm (rectangular), 21cm (round) and 15cm companion size. I was offered  the rectangular 25ch pie dish to sample for pie week but unfortunately my parcel containing the pie dish did not arrive in time for me to bake my pie for British pie week so I have baked it in a glass dish, however I am looking forward to receiving it so that I can try out the pie dish for my next pie.This is my recipe for British Pie Week.

A delicious vegetable Pie made with melt in the mouth shortcrust pastry with a seasonal winter vegetable and bean filling.

Ingredients:

For Filling:

2 medium carrots peeled and diced
1 parsnip peeled and diced
2 medium potatoes peeled and diced
1 leek roughly chopped
1 medium onion finely diced
125 ml / 4 oz chopped plum tomatoes(tinned)
1 can of precooked mixed beans.
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
2 sheets of ready rolled short crust pastry( alternatively make Home made pastry )
2 oz bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
A little milk for brushing top of pie

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C / 350 Degrees F
2. Using one of the sheets of short crust pastry line a 25 cm rectangular pie dish.
3. Prick the bottom with a fork.
4. Sprinkle a thin layer of bread crumbs on the pastry (this will stop the bottom of the pastry going soggy from the juices from the filling)
5.In a large pan heat the oil and saute the onions and leeks until they soften and onions turn translucent.
6. Add the potatoes, parsnip,carrots and the tinned tomatoes and mix together.
7. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes.
8. Season the filling with salt and pepper and add the chilli flakes.
9.Drain the beans from the tin and add them to the vegetables and mix well.
9. Slightly cool the filling and then add it to the prepared pie dish.
10. Sprinkle the top of the filling with the remaining bread crumbs.
11. Cover the top of the pie with the second sheet of pastry.
12. Trim off any extra pastry over hanging the pie dish and crimp the edges to seal them.

13.Cut out flowers and leaves from the pastry off cuts .
14. Using a sharp knife cut three slits on the top of pastry so that any steam can escape whilst pie is cooking.
15. Decorate the pie with leaves and flowers as desired.
16.Brush the top of the pie with some milk to get a golden crust.
17. Bake the pie in the oven for about 50-60 minutes or until the pie is golden brown.
18. Remove pie from oven once its baked and serve hot .

You may like:
Mini Veg pies

Submitting to:
Flavours of United Kingdom event by simply.food guested hosted by saffron streaks



Exciting news!!!
To celebrate British Pie Week Mermaid have kindly offered a prize of one 25 cm rectangular pie dish to one simply.food visitor so that you too can enjoy the baking experience.

How To Enter:

Competition/Giveaway open to Residents in the UK only.
Simply complete the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries

·         Entries can be via blog comment, Facebook, Twitter etc

·         Please read the rules they form the terms and conditions of this Giveaway

·         Closing date – 31 st March 2013

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pirojki -Russian vegetables pasties

Pirojkis are a Russian pasty that is filled with either a meat or vegetable filling and baked. This recipe was adapted from Russian Bites

Ingredients:
For Pastry
4 tablespoons self raising Flour
1 tablespoon natural yoghurt
1 slice white bread
pinch of salt.

For Filling
120 grams/ 4oz  precooked kidney beans
120 grams/ 4oz precooked mixed vegetables(green beans, sweet corn, carrots)
2 small mushrooms finely chopped
1 small red onion finely diced.
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Method:

1. Place the self raising flour in a bowl, add the salt and mix.
2. Remove the crusts from the bread and soak it in the yoghurt.
3. Add the yoghurt soaked bread to the flour and make a pliable dough adding a little water.
4. Cover the dough and leave for 3 hours.
5. Heat some oil in a pan and when it is hot add the onions.Fry until onions are translucent.
6. Add the vegetables, mushrooms and beans and cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add the tomato puree, salt, pepper and chilli flakes  . Add 2 tablespoons water and cook the filling for 2-3 minutes more. Slightly mash the mixture.
8. Remove from heat and leave to cool.
9. Divide the dough in to 6 equal portions.
10. Roll each portion into a 5inch circle place a generous amount of filing in the centre of the circle and fold over to form a semicircle.
11. Firmly press the edges down around the semi circle  using a fork  to secure  and seal the join.
12. Place the pasty on to a greased baking tray and repeat for remaining circles.
13.Bake in a preheated oven 350 degrees F / 175 degrees F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Serve  warm.

You may like:
Russian Salad

Submitting to :
Flavours of Russia, event by simply.food guest hosted by Selena of Fruit carving Arrangements and food garnish

Mushroom and Tomato Bake

Perfect dish for brunch, Succulent mushrooms, tangy and juicy tomatoes topped with a aromatic herb and breadcrumb crusty topping.

Ingredients:

4oz button mushrooms
2 large beef tomatoes
4 oz bread crumbs
2 oz grated cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder
1 teaspoon Italian mixed herbs
1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion

Method:

1. Thinly slice the button mushrooms.
2. Finely chop the red onion.
3. Slice the tomatoes.
4. In a bowl all the bread crumbs, herbs, chilli flakes  and pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well.
5. In a pan add the oil and saute the onions until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook till mushrooms soften. Season with salt and pepper.
6.In an oven proof dish, make a layer of tomatoes, and top it with the mushroom mixture, Add a layer of cheese. Repeat with a second layer of tomatoes, followed by the mushroom mixture and than the remaining cheese.
7. For the top  final layer , add the bread crumbs mixture.
8. Preheat an oven to 180 degrees centigrade / 350 degrees Farenheit and bake the tomato and mushroom bake for 25 minutes or untill there is nice golden crust on the top.
Remove from oven and serve with fresh crusty bread .

You may like:
Mexican Tart

Mini Vegetable pies

Melt in the mouth flaky golden brown pastry, with a tasty vegetable filling.

Ingredients:

1 sheet ready to roll short crust pastry
2 oz precooked sweet corn
2 oz precooked kidney beans
1 small onion finely diced
1 tablespoon tomato puree
2 oz boiled potatoes finely diced
2 oz baked beans in tomato sauce.
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper powder
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon sunflower oil

Method:

1. In a frying pan heat the oil when hot add the onions and sauté till translucent.
2. Add the sweet corn, kidney beans and potato and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the baked beans, 2 tablespoons of water, tomato puree, salt and pepper and Tabasco sauce and cook till spices infuse into vegetable mixture. Keep aside to cool.
4. Roll out the pastry and cut six 4 inch round circles and six 2.5 inch circles for lids using a cookie cutter.
5. Line a muffin pan with the six larger circles, pushing the pastry to shape the muffin holes.
6. Fill each pastry case with the filling and place a lid on the top. Press down pastry to secure the lids.
7. Make a small hole in the centre of each lid to allow the steam to release when cooking. Decorate pie tops with remaining pastry trimmings if desired
8. Bake pies in pre heated oven at 200º C / 400º F for 30 minutes till golden brown.
9. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Serve warm with salad.

You may like:
Veggie puff pastry parcels.