A festive Christmas pie for vegetarians

Christmas day can’t be an easy one for vegetarians. There is meat everywhere. Even the mince pies have suet tucked away inside, or the potatoes are roasted in goose fat – I’m guilty of that – but it does make the best roast potatoes.

Not to mention monstrosities such as turducken; a chicken stuffed into a duck that’s then stuffed into a turkey. Luckily, there is also an abundance of vegetable dishes on offer, including cauliflower cheese, sprouts and roast vegetables.

This year I’m making individual pithiviers for the vegetarians in our family. Made a week or two in advance, these pies will sit in the freezer happily till needed. Just defrost the pie fully and brush with egg wash before baking as normal.

I know vegetarians may sigh when they see yet another roast vegetable main course suggestion, but this is no ordinary pie. There is a layer of herb-rich mushroom duxelle on the base, roast vegetables layered thoughtfully, and goat’s cheese in the centre. It is all encased in rich, buttery puff pastry.

This is delicious served with the usual trimmings of bread sauce and cranberry sauce. No vegetarian will feel neglected when this beauty is served. Once cut open, it reveals multicoloured layers of seasonal vegetables and flavours tucked inside. A real celebratory dish.

Roast vegetable pithivier

Serves 4

1 butternut squash

2 red peppers

2 red onions

1 tbsp butter

400g mushrooms

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 tsp mixed herbs

15g flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

200g baby spinach leaves

200g goat’s cheese

Olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

4 sheets ready rolled all-butter puff pastry

1 egg, whisked

Preheat an oven to 200 degrees Celsius/gas 4.

Half the butternut squash and scoop out the seeds. Remove the skin and cut the flesh into 1cm slices. Place on a tray and drizzle with a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Rub olive oil on the peppers and place on a tray to roast. Divide the red onions into quarters, keeping the stem intact so the wedges don’t fall apart. Rub oil over the onion and place on the tray with the peppers. The onions are done after 15 minutes, once they’re crisp on the edges. After half an hour the red peppers will be cooked, so leave them to cool, then remove the skin. The butternut takes about half an hour, until just tender.

Meanwhile, finely chop the mushrooms. Heat the butter in a wide frying pan and cook the mushrooms and garlic over a medium heat. Increase the heat to remove any excess liquid. Add the mixed herbs, season well and remove from the heat. Fold through the chopped parsley and leave to cool.

Place the spinach leaves in a colander over a sink and pour boiling water over them. Leave to drain and cool. You may need to pat the spinach dry with paper towels to ensure it’s not too wet before using it.

Use a small side plate and cut out four circles of puff pastry. Place these on a heavy baking tray. Cut four slightly larger circles to place on top.

Divide the filling among the pastry bases. Layer a base of mushroom duxelle on the base and top with wedges of red onion, spinach leaves, a few tablespoons of goat’s cheese, butternut squash and slices of red pepper.

Gently place the top layer of pastry on, sealing it firmly at the edges. Brush the entire pie with egg wash and score the top using a butter knife. Be careful not to cut down through the pastry. Repeat with the remaining pastry and vegetables. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until puffed up and golden. The base should be golden too. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.