Planning on heading outdoors for festivities? Look no further than our wonderfully portable treats to share for a day to remember!
Individual Miso Mushroom Pies
Super-tasty and elegant pies, perfect to pack into a picnic hamper. The miso adds great underlying savoury depth, but if you can’t get hold of it, you can use 500ml strong vegetable stock instead of the miso water.
Hands-on time 40min, plus chilling and cooling. Cooking time about 1hr 10min. Makes 12
FOR THE PASTRY
• 250g plain flour, plus extra to dust
• 150g butter, chilled and cubed
• 1 medium egg
• 1tsp Dijon mustard
FOR THE FILLING
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 200g oyster mushrooms, torn into thin strips
• 200g chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1tsp dried thyme
• 2tbsp plain flour
• 1½tbsp white miso paste
• 1tsp Dijon mustard
• 2tbsp crème fraîche
• 1 medium egg, beaten
1 For the pastry, using a food processor, pulse the flour, butter and a pinch of salt until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively, rub the butter into the flour and salt using your fingers. Add the egg, mustard and 2tbsp ice-cold water. Pulse/mix until pastry just comes together (add a little more water if the pastry seems dry). Tip on to a work surface, shape into a disc, wrap and chill for 30min.
2 Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan over low-medium heat and cook the onion for 10min, stirring occasionally, until softened. Increase the heat to high, add the mushrooms and fry, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and there is no moisture left in the pan. Stir in the garlic, thyme and flour and cook for 1min.
3 In a jug, mix the miso paste with 500ml just-boiled water until the miso dissolves. Slowly pour into the mushroom pan, stirring constantly. Bring to the boil, stirring, then bubble for 10-15min, until thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in the mustard, crème fraîche and some seasoning. Leave to cool completely.
4 Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan) mark 7. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll out pastry to 3mm thick. Using pastry cutters, stamp out 12 x 9cm rounds and 12 x 7cm rounds, rerolling trimmings as needed.
5 Press the larger rounds into the holes of a muffin tin, working the pastry so that it comes just above the edges of the holes. Divide the cooled mushroom mixture between the pastry cases. Brush the edges of the pastry cases with egg, lay on the smaller rounds and press edges to seal.
6 Using a skewer, pierce a hole into the centre of each lid to allow steam to escape. Brush the top of each pie with egg.
7 Cook in oven for 30-35min, or until deep golden
