Mushroom and Lentil Puff Pastry Pie

Mushrooms and green lentils sit under a crisp puff-pastry lid in this creamy vegetable pie. Cooking off mushroom moisture and thickening the sauce first keeps the filling rich enough to spoon without flooding the pastry.

Ingredients

• 400 g mushrooms, sliced
• 500 g cooked green lentils, drained
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 25 g plain flour
• 400 ml vegetable broth
• 100 ml cream
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 sheet puff pastry, about 320 g
• 1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Heat oil in a large wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms for 8–10 minutes until their released moisture mostly evaporates. Add onion and carrots; cook for 6–8 minutes until beginning to soften.
2. Stir in garlic and thyme for one minute. Sprinkle over flour and stir for one minute, coating the vegetables.
3. Gradually stir in broth, then cream. Add lentils and black pepper and simmer for five minutes, stirring, until the filling is thick but spoonable. Transfer to a 2-litre pie dish and leave for 15 minutes to stop steaming heavily.
4. Heat oven to 200°C / 400°F. Lay the cold pastry over the dish and trim to leave a small overhang. Press onto the rim, crimp the edges and cut a small steam slit in the center.
5. Brush pastry lightly with beaten egg. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the lid is puffed, deeply golden and cooked underneath, and the filling bubbles at the edges. Place a tray beneath to catch drips.
6. Rest for 10 minutes. Spoon filling into six bowls with a piece of crisp pastry on each. This is a soft pot-pie filling rather than a sliceable pie.
7. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours for up to three days. Reheat in the oven until the filling is piping hot throughout, loosely covering the pastry if it browns too much.

Use cooked lentils

The stated weight is for lentils already cooked and drained. Dry lentils will not soften properly in this short sauce step.

Let the filling settle

A brief cooling period keeps the cold pastry from softening too soon. It still goes into the oven over a warm filling.

Leave a steam opening

A small slit lets steam escape while the pastry rises and crisps. Check the underside as well as the golden top.

FAQs

How many servings does this make?

Makes 6 servings using the pan or equipment listed.

What should I check before serving?

Rest for 10 minutes. Spoon filling into six bowls with a piece of crisp pastry on each. This is a soft pot-pie filling rather than a sliceable pie.

How should I store leftovers?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours for up to three days. Reheat in the oven until the filling is piping hot throughout, loosely covering the pastry if it browns too much.