Crisp puff pastry, herby pesto, a beautifully textured filling, and a side of smooth mashed potatoes make this recipe a great comfort meal. Note that this creamy cannellini pie recipe can be made into six individual servings or into one large pie. To make one large pie, simply put all your filling into one circular container and cover with the puff pastry rather than creating six smaller pies.
Ingredients
For the mash
- 600 grams Maris Piper potatoes
- 2 tbsp plant-based butter
- 100 ml unsweetened plant-based milk
- salt and pepper to taste
For the pie filling
- 3 leeks
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp plant-based butter
- 1400 grams of cannellini beans
- 3 tbsp pesto
- 2 tbsp plant-based crème fraîche
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 150 grams spinach
- salt and pepper to taste
For the pastry
- 320 grams ready-rolled plant-based puff pastry sheet
- 2 tbsp plant-based milk
- 1 tbsp English mustard
Instructions
For the mash
- Peel and the quarter the potatoes, add them to a large saucepan and cover with cold water.
- Put the pan over a high heat, sprinkle in a generous pinch of salt and bring to the boil.
- Once boiling, cook the potatoes for 10-15 minutes until tender.
For the pie filling
- Wash and trim the leeks, then cut into rounds.
- Peel and crush the garlic.
- In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once foaming, saute the leeks with a pinch of salt for 6-8 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
- Drain the beans and add to the pan, along with the pesto, crème fraîche, stock cube and 300ml boiling water and stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for about 8 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
- Add the spinach for the last minute of cooking and allow it to wilt in the heat of the pan.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Return to the potatoes
- Drain the potatoes into a colander and leave them to steam dry for 5 minutes.
- Pour the potatoes back into the saucepan, add the butter and milk and mash with a potato masher until smooth.
- Taste the potato and season with salt and pepper.
- Keep warm until ready to serve.
Prepare the pastry
- Preheat the oven to 200*C fan setting.
- Remove the pastry from the film and cut circles from the pastry, slightly bigger than the size of the pie dishes. You can use the base of the pie dish as a guide. Set aside.
- Tip the pie filling into 6 individual pie dishes and top with the pastry circles.
- Mix the milk and English mustard together until the mustard has dissolved and you have a yellow mixture.
- Brush the pastry with the mustardy milk. Chill the pies in the fridge for 20 minutes so the pastry firms up.
Bake the pies and serve
- Preheat the oven to 200°C fan setting.
- Bake in a hot oven for 25 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve the pies with the mashed potatoes.