Vegetarian ‘Meat’ & Vegetable Pies

"Who says vegetarians can’t have delicious, meaty pies with oodles of rich gravy? These little pies use vegetarian mince and gravy to create moreish little treats that are gorgeous hot or cold. The filling is made on the hob, but the kids can help by tipping in ingredients, and can take charge when it comes to the assembly."

Warm the oil and garlic in a large pan over a medium-high heat until it just starts to sizzle. Add the mince and fry for a couple of minutes until defrosted.

Add the frozen vegetables and fry for another couple of minutes until defrosted. Take off the heat and stir in the gravy granules.

Stir in ¾ pint water and mix well. Return to the heat and bring to a simmer, stirring often for a few minutes until you have a rich, thick gravy. Leave to cool completely.

Meanwhile, unroll your puff pastry sheets and use a rolling pin to make them a bit bigger. Cut out twelve 9cm rounds from each sheet (twenty-four rounds in total). Press the rounds into the base of a twelve-hole muffin tray (I used two six-hole trays) and press around so the edge of the pastry reaches the rim.

Fill the pies evenly with the filling, leaving a centimetre or so spare around the edge with a mound in the middle. Rub a little milk around the edges,– this will help the tops to stick. Press the remaining rounds on top. Start by pressing around the edges to seal, then pinch around the edges so that they fold into the middle as shown.

Brush the tops with milk. Poke a hole in the top of each pie with a small knife.

Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Allow to cool for a few minutes in the tin. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, or serve hot.

These fab little pies are great for a picnic. Do let me know if you try them!

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