David Herbert’s vegetarian pies

Pre-rolled pastry makes these pies so simple to make.

Spinach and feta pie Picture: Guy Bailey.

Pie-making is so simple when you use ready-made pastry sheets. I often serve these vegetarian pies with a quick sauce made by combining one cup plain yoghurt, two tablespoons chopped parsley, mint or coriander, two sliced spring onions and the juice of half a lime.

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Spinach & feta pie

2 red capsicums, seeds and pith removed, cut into 2cm pieces

3 red onions, cut into thin wedges

1 small butternut pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2cm pieces

1 garlic bulb

Olive oil, for cooking and brushing

500g frozen spinach, thawed and chopped

200g feta, roughly crumbled

2 teaspoons crushed or ground sumac, plus extra to garnish

8 sheets ready-made filo pastry, thawed if frozen

Sesame seeds, to garnish

Preheat oven to 180C (fan). Place capsicum, onion, pumpkin and whole garlic bulb in a large roasting tin, drizzle with a little oil and roast, turning occasionally, for 30 minutes or until tender and coloured. Remove and stir through spinach; set aside to cool. Stir feta through the cooled vegetables. Slice garlic bulb, squeeze out the delicious soft centres and add to the vegetables, then sprinkle with sumac and season to taste with salt. Grease a 23cm springform cake tin with a little oil. Line the inside of the tin with about five layers of filo pastry, overlapping and brushing each layer with a little oil, allowing the pastry to protrude above the rim of the tin. Place the filling in the tin and cover with about three layers of pastry, brushing each layer with oil. Any overlapping pastry can be folded over the filling. Bake for 20 minutes, then brush with oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds and a little extra sumac. Return to the oven and bake for a further 10-15 minutes or until golden. Serves 6-8

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Leek & mushroom pie. Picture: Guy Bailey.

Leek & mushroom pie

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, finely sliced

400g mixed mushrooms, larger ones halved

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Large handful baby spinach leaves

2 sheets ready-made puff pastry, thawed if frozen

1 egg, beaten, to glaze

2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra sprigs to garnish

½ cup sour cream, to serve

Preheat oven to 200C (fan). Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan; gently fry leeks for 8-10 minutes until softened. Transfer softened leeks to a bowl; set aside. Heat the remaining oil in the same pan over a moderate to high heat. Add mushrooms, garlic and thyme and saute for 4-5 minutes, or until soft. Add spinach, increase heat and cook, stirring until wilted. Add to leeks; set aside to cool. Season to taste with plenty of salt and pepper. Place one sheet of pastry on each baking sheet. Pile veg mixture in middle of pastry and spread out slightly, leaving a 2.5cm border around edge. Bring edges of pastry up over filling. Brush exposed pastry edge with beaten egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes until pastry is crisp and golden brown. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, decorate with sprigs and serve immediately with sour cream. Serves 4