Still don’t know what umami means? You will after trying this I-can’t-believe-it’s-vegetarian pie

Name: Still don’t know what umami means? You will after trying this I-can’t-believe-it’s-vegetarian pie
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Contemporary
Ingredients: 1 egg; 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry (traditional, vegan or gluten-free), about 28cm square, removed from the freezer and thawed in the fridge; flaky salt and black pepper; salad leaves dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, to serve

Danielle Alvarez

August 21, 2023

Mushroom and leek pot pie.William Meppem

Time:1-2 hoursServes:4

This winter-warmer of a dish is so comforting and umami-rich (thanks to a few sneaky condiments), you won’t believe it’s vegetarian. It also utilises store-bought puff pastry – substitute for vegan or gluten-free, if necessary – which makes it incredibly quick to knock up.

Ingredients

1 egg
1 sheet store-bought puff pastry (traditional, vegan or gluten-free), about 28cm square, removed from the freezer and thawed in the fridge
flaky salt and black pepper
salad leaves dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, to serve

FOR THE PIE FILLING

400g mushrooms
1 large leek, split lengthways, washed and cut into 3cm lengths
2 tbsp dark soy sauce (gluten-free if required)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup tomato passata
2 tsp red miso
2 tbsp maple syrup
¼ cup loosely packed sage leaves, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and grated on a microplane
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp flour (plain or gluten-free)

Method

Step 1
Preheat your oven to 200C fan-forced (220C conventional).
Step 2
In a bowl, toss together all the ingredients for the pie filling, except the bay leaf and flour, add a few cracks of black pepper and mix in two-thirds of a cup of water, then lay it all in the circular cast-iron pan or pie dish
you’re going to bake the pie in (it can be any size between 21cm and 26cm in diameter). Bake in the oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Step 3
Remove the filling from the oven, sprinkle the flour over it and toss. Tuck in the bay leaf.
Step 4
For a pastry wash, crack the egg into a dish, add a teaspoon of water, mix and set aside.
Step 5
On a lightly floured bench, roll out your sheet of puff pastry so it’s slightly larger than the baking dish you’re using. Then lift it up and drape it over the dish, pressing it into the sides (I like to leave any excess just hanging over the edge). Cut a small “X” in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape and brush the surface with your egg wash, sprinkling with flaky sea salt
and freshly cracked black pepper. (Vegans can use vegan milk for the wash.) Place the pie on a sheet tray lined with baking paper.
Step 6
Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional) and bake for a further 30-35 minutes until the top is a deep golden-brown. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then serve with a fresh green salad.