Vegan Goodness: Feasts by Jessica Prescott

 

 

Mushroom & Jackfruit Party Pies

In Australia and New Zealand, ‘party pies’ are a staple of children’s birthday parties. Traditionally they are filled with minced (ground) meat, but I’ve filled mine with the winning combo of mushrooms and jackfruit. I use store-bought puff pastry – I’ve been harbouring a mini obsession with it since finding out that most puff pastry is in fact vegan. No, it’s not a wholefood and it’s got pretty much zero nutritional value, but goddamn it’s delicious and that makes it good for the soul. Just be sure to buy a brand that doesn’t contain palm oil" and is preferably organic.

 

Makes 16 pies

Shopping list

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

250 g (9 oz) brown mushrooms, finely chopped

565 g (20 oz) tin jackfruit in brine, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic granules

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¾ teaspoon dried thyme

¾ teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) plant-based milk, plus additional milk

for brushing

4 (30 x 30-cm/12 x 12-in) sheets puff pastry

To serve:

tomato ketchup

 

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6) and line a baking tray (sheet) with baking paper.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 2–3 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft. Meanwhile, cut the tough bits off the jackfruit and set aside. Crumble the soft jackfruit pieces into the pan. Finely chop the tough bits and add to the pan, along with the tomato paste and maple syrup, and stir to combine. In a small bowl, combine the spices, herbs, salt, flour and milk to make a gravy, stirring until no clumps remain. Add the gravy to the mushrooms and jackfruit, and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until the mixture has thickened and is well combined.

Cut each puff pastry sheet into 4 smaller squares. Take a square of pastry and place 1 generous teaspoon of filling on top, positioning it to one side of the centre. Fold the other side of the pastry over to encase the filling, then crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Gently transfer the pie to the lined baking tray and poke generous holes in the top of each pie with a small, sharp knife (the holes will reduce in size as the pastry puffs up).

Repeat, until all of your filling and pastry is used up, then brush the tops of the pies with milk. Bake in the hot oven for 15–20 minutes, or until puffed up and golden. The final cooking time will depend on the brand of puff pastry, which varies from country to country. Check the packet for guidance.

Enjoy warm or cold, dunked in good old-fashioned tomato ketchup.

Find out more about Jessica Prescott here - www.wholygoodness.com

Vegan Goodness: Feasts by Jessica Prescott is available now from your favourite bookshop or online from Amazon and Waterstones.