Pies fit for a king

If you’re a big bake-off fan you may have seen the contestants attempting Tudor Week. While Henry VIII may have preferred a pie packed with meat and ale, topped with a fat-based pasty, we’ve come up with something a little more modern and definitely healthier – suitable for a vegetarian and gluten-free diet. We’ve even squeezed in some turmeric – the ‘Wonder Spice’, which has got everyone talking at the minute.

Ingredients

• 2 onions
• Coconut oil *
• 1½ Tbsp rogan josh paste
• 1 tsp cumin seeds *
• 1 tsp turmeric *
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 100g spinach
• 200ml vegetable stock *
• 600g your favourite vegetables
• Mrs Crimbles pastry mix *

* Available at Holland & Barrett

Method

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Step 2 Put your veggies into a pan to boil and cook - usually around 15 minutes depending how firm you like them. Step 3 Peel and chop the onions, then fry with a teaspoon of coconut oil, the rogan josh paste, turmeric and cumin seeds. Peel and crush the garlic into the pan, then fry for 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for another minute, then add the spinach and vegetable stock. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Step 4 Remove the pan from the heat. Drain and mash your veggies, then stir them into the pan. Spoon the mixture into a pie dish (roughly 20cm), spreading it out evenly. Step 5 Make the pastry according to the pack instructions – swap butter for dairy free spread if you prefer. Step 6 Roll out the pastry to ½cm thick (Roll it out between two large pieces of clingfilm if you find it sticks or goes crumbly). Step 7 Carefully place the pastry on the top, trim away the edges and pinch the edges to seal. Mark a cross in the middle. Step 8 Place the pie dish on a baking tray, then cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and piping hot. Shop our Food & Drink range.