Pie Face

05/07 PIE FACE

Spending a weekend in a witches coven, summoning demons and brewing mischief conjured some unusual spirits. In all truth I was just in the country with very old friends - demonic friends, special people to be sure. After venturing through forests and clambering over muddy tracks there was an inordinate amount of food eaten, mind altering wine downed and roaring wood burnt to fire our souls. 

One of these nights beckoned this monstrosity, only in appearance - not taste, to our cabin. A vegetable pie, without any of the fuss but all of the flavour. The vegetables have been tainted and woody by the tomato and mushrooms, forming the flavour base for the red pie. It is simple, warming, and devilishly good. You can take pastry more seriously but why? Especially when a grinning ghoul radiates warmth from the oven.

Ingredients (all approximate) - 

1/4 Pumpkin
1 Sweet Potato
2 Potato
250g Mushrooms
3 Carrots
100g Artichoke (marinated)
250g Tomato Puree
1 Cup Red Wine
Salt + Pepper
3 Sheets Puff Pastry (Supermarche quality)


What I did - Oven preheated to 180degrees

This is a slow comfortable recipe. Nothing to stress over, just potter round for a couple of hours with a comfort movie in the background - preferably with Meryl Streep. Start by using a wide baking dish, either cast iron or thick ceramic. Heat up the mushrooms with the artichokes and butter, letting the marinade and butter draw out all the flavour from the fungi.

Next braise the carrots, adding the potato, pumpkin and sweet potato until the liquid has been absorbed. Add the red wine in a hot splutter. Once it settles and is simmering fast add the tomato puree. Clamp a lid on and bake for an hour - until all the vegetables have softened, but not yet a mush. Take out of the oven and let cool for half an hour.

Once its cooled enough you can dover with the pastry lid, any hotter and the pastry would melt into an unpleasant gloop. Its easiest to make a lid out of strips, they cook faster with ridges that crisp deliciously. Add a face should you feel a ghoulish spirit.

Bake again for another 30 minutes until golden - verging on burnished. Take out of the oven and serve messily onto plates, devour near a wood fire and with deep red wine. No responsibility will be taken for over-eating or drinking because this pie is demonic.

JG