Walnut and Mushroom Pie

I can't remember where I got this recipe from but it might be adapted from Oi Polloi's Anarcho Pie. It takes a bit of effort but it's absolutely worth it and makes enough pie for at least 5 meals. It'll easily keep for around 5 days in an air tight container in the fridge or you can (probably) freeze it. Serving suggestion; with a small mountain of chive and mustard mashed potato! Suitable for vegans so long as you use a brand of pastry which is vegan such as Jus-Roll.

Time: Prep 20 minutes. Cooking 40-45 minutes. Serves 4-6 (depending on how much you like pie).

Ingredients:

• 250 g can chopped tomatoes or pasata
• 375 g mushrooms, sliced
• 125 g shelled walnuts
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 500 g puff pastry
• 1 tbsp gravy powder or cornflour
• 2 tbsp vegetable/sunflower/rapeseed oil.
• 1 dsp yeast extract
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp soy milk (to glaze)
• 1 dsp sesame seeds, to garnish (optional)

Method:

1. Oil a 30 cm pie dish or six 10cm individual dishes. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Put chopped tomatoes (or pasata) in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the mushrooms, walnuts, carrot, onion, red pepper, and mustard powder. Stir well, then cover the pan and simmer for 15 mins.
3. Flour a work surface, cut the pastry in half and roll out to a 5mm thickness (if you don't have a rolling pin a bottle of wine works well). Bake for 7 minutes to half cook it.
4. Combine all remaining ingredients in a small jug and gradually pour into the simmering pan, stirring constantly as it thickens.
5. Spoon the stew into the half cooked pie crust. Roll out the remaining pastry and use to cover the tops of the pie(s). You can use a little water as glue to stick the edges of the pastry together.
6. Brush the top of pastry with soy milk, sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional). Use a fork or knife to gently pierce the top of the pie(s) in the middle (helps let out excess steam as the pie cooks). Bake for a further 25-30 minutes until puffed and golden.
7. Serve and nom.