Vegetarian Christmas Raised Pie

By Nic

I wanted to use a hot water crust pastry to make a Christmas main course. Given that we don’t eat meat, raised pork pies weren’t going to work. I’ve made a Christmas pie before that used butter beans, cheese, garlic and herbs so I decided to work from that and a raised pork pie and create a new recipe.

Hot water crust traditionally uses lard but vegetable shortenings work well and give you that lovely mouth feel of hot water crust. Squash and cranberry seem like celebratory ingredients together, chestnuts are great to add something to a veggie meal. I like thyme and rosemary in pies (and they’re about the only herbs still growing in my garden at this time of year). So… squash, cranberry, cheese and chestnut pie.

I’ve used crumbly cheeses like Lancashire and Wensleydale in this sort of pie before but I had halloumi in the fridge already. Your choice.

Ingredients

  • 150g cranberries

  • Juice of 2 oranges

  • 50g sugar

  • 1 Large Squash, peeled and cut into chunks (you need about 500-600g of flesh)

  • 150g cheese

  • 1 packet Merchant Gourmet Chestnuts, halved

  • Sprig of rosemary, chopped

  • spring of thyme, chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)

  • 860g plain flour

  • 300g veggie shortening (Trex or Crisco)

  • 330ml water

  • 1 large egg (beaten) for wash

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)

Filling

  1. Put the cranberries, orange juice and sugar in a pan and cook gently until the cranberries start to pop and soften.
  2. Roast the squash for around 30 minutes. Once roasted place into a large bowl
  3. Add the cranberry sauce you just made, the chestnuts, cheese, herbs and garlic an and mix well.

Pastry

  1. Put the flour in a large bowl
  2. Put the shortening and water into a small pan and heat gently until the lard melts.
  3. Bring just to the boil and then stir into the flour using a wooden spoon.
  4. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, (it should still feel very warm) knead well until smooth.
  5. Cut off 1/4 of the dough, wrap in cling film and reserve for the lid.
  6. Roll out the remaining dough to a circle and then place in the base of a non-stick 20cm springform cake tin.

Building the pie.

  1. Working quickly while the dough is warm and pliable, press the dough evenly over the base and up the sides of the tin.
  2. Make sure there are no holes. Fill with the squash mixture and pack down well.
  3. Roll out the dough for the lid. Place on top of the pie. Pinch all around the edge to seal the pie.
  4. Make a hole for steam in the centre, using the handle of a wooden spoon.

Cook for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 160°C (140°C fan) and cook for a further 90 minutes. Then remove from the oven, brush the top with the beaten egg and cook for a further 20 minutes.

Leave to rest for about ten minutes before removing from the cake tin.

I served this with a red wine and onion gravy and the standard Christmas roast vegetables.