Potluck vegetable pies
It’s that time of year when there is very little to harvest and the market stalls have a bare minimum. The winter stores have all but dried up and summer plantings are in progress, so other than spring greens, not much is in abundance.
Some years ago, I ran an organic vegetable box delivery with a local grower, and I remember this time of year well. Keeping the boxes interesting was quite the challenge, especially when silverbeet was our least requested item.
I enjoy silverbeet and find, with a little creativity and paired with an umami kick such as miso, it can be quite delicious. Especially when tucked inside buttery pastry to make little potluck pies to take to a gathering or two as the warmer weather festivities begin.
Potluck vegetable and miso hand pies, with two filling options
Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Makes: 12 hand pies
■ About 300g butter puff pastry
■ Milk for brushing
■ Sesame seeds for sprinkling
Filling option one: Silverbeet, Cashew & Miso
■ 2 tablespoons olive oil
■ 1 small onion, finely chopped
■ 1/3 cup cashews, chopped
■ Bunch of silverbeet, about 8 leaves, stalks and leaves, finely chopped
■ 2 teaspoons miso paste
■ 1 tablespoon water
■ 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
■ Salt and pepper
Filling option two: Curry spiced vegetables
■ 1 tablespoon olive oil
■ ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
■ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
■ 1 teaspoon mild curry powder
■ 1 medium potato or golden ku¯ mara, cut into 1cm cubes
■ 2 teaspoon miso paste
■ 2 tablespoons hot water
■ About 1 cup chopped cauliflower florets
■ 3-4 silverbeet leaves, chopped
First prepare one of the fillings.
Option one: Silverbeet, cashew & miso filling
Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan, over a moderate heat. Add the onion and saute until golden and beginning to caramelise. Tip into a shallow dish to cool. Add the cashews to the pan and toast until golden, add to the onions.
Combine the miso and hot water in a small bowl, mixing to dissolve the miso. Add the second tablespoon of oil to the frying pan and add the chopped silverbeet along with the miso water and herbs. Spread the chopped leaves on top and cover with a lid. Crank up the heat and cook until the silverbeet has wilted. Remove the lid and stir until any excess moisture has evaporated. Add to the onions, mix well and season to taste. Cool.
Option two: Spiced vegetables
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the spices and potato or ku¯ mara and stir over the heat for one minute until fragrant. Combine the miso and hot water in a small bowl mixing to dissolve the miso. Add to the pan, cover with a lid and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cauliflower and silverbeet, cover again, and cook for a further 8-10 minutes until the potato is tender. Cool. Once your filling is prepared make the hand pies. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius. If the pastry is frozen, thaw for 10-15 minutes on the bench or in the fridge for at least two hours ahead of time.
Use a rolling pin to roll out the pastry a little to tamper the pastry layers so they don’t crumble when handled (helpful if transporting across town).
Cut into 12cm rounds or squares and scoop heaped tablespoons of the filling on to the pastry. Dampen the edge of the pastry with milk (or water) and fold over to create a half moon or rectangle shape. Use a fork to press the edges together to hold the contents in place. Place the pies onto a baking tray, brush with milk (or water) and scatter with sesame seeds.
Bake for 15 minutes until golden, then cool on a rack. Serve with chutney or plum sauce.