Vegetable Chilli Pies

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These pies are a wonderful vegetarian comfort food. The smoky and spicy filling is packed with vegetables, beans and lentils.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 each onion, peeled carrot and capsicum, diced 2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon chilli flakes

1 small ku¯mara, peeled and cubed

1 courgette, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

400g can chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon soft brown sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons chipotle sauce

400g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 400g can brown lentils, drained and rinsed 1 tablespoon finely chopped pickled jalapeños 1 cup grated mild cheddar

900g good quality puff pastry

1 egg, whisked

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan. Add onion, carrot and capsicum and fry until onions are just starting to colour. Add the spices and fry for 1 minute, then add the kūmara, courgette and garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and chipotle sauce and gently simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

Once the sauce has thickened and the kūmara is tender, add the kidney beans, lentils and jalapeños. Cook for a further 10 minutes, then remove from heat. Set aside to cool.

Heat oven to 200°C. Cut pastry circles to fit the tops and bottoms of 8 pie tins (my pie tins are oval 16cm x 12cm).

Line each tin with pastry then fill with cooled chilli, and cheese. Brush the pastry edges with egg wash, place the pastry lids on top and gently seal the edges. Brush the tops with egg wash, cut a small cross into the top of each pie and sprinkle over cumin seeds. Bake pies for 30 minutes or until golden. Makes 8