RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Vegetable Pie with Cheddar Cheese Pastry
Ingredients

400g (14oz) potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
225g (8oz) fresh carrots, peeled and sliced thickly
225g (8oz) fresh swede, peeled and cut into chunks
175g (6oz) pearl barley
50g  (2oz) red lentils.
3      Bay Leaves
900ml(11/2 pt) vegetable stock
175g (60oz)  button mushrooms, washed

For the cheese pastry

225g(8oz) plain flour
50g(2oz)   lard
50g (2oz)  Scottish butter, unsalted
110g(4oz) Scottish matured Cheddar cheese, grated
1x15ml sp (1tbsp) dried mixed herbs
4x15ml sp(4tbsp) cold water
 
Method

1. Place the potatoes, carrots, swede, leeks, pearl barley, lentils, bay leaves and stock in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the mushrooms and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
2. To make the pastry, sieve the flour in a bowl. Cut the lard and the butter into cubes and rub lightly into the flour, lifting the mixture through your hands to add air. Continue to mix until the ingredients look like fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the grated cheese and the dried herbs and mix through.
Make a well in the centre of the mixture and stir in enough water to form a soft dough. Whilst adding the water, mix with round-bladed knife. Wrap the pastry in cling film and put in fridge for 15-20 minutes.
4.Meanwhile transfer the vegetable sauce into a deep pie dish or oven-proof dish. Remove the bay leaves from the sauce. Leave the sauce to cool slightly.
5. Roll the pastry out to required thickness and lay it on the top of the vegetable sauce, making sure the pastry is sealed onto the edges of the pie dish. Cut away any excess pastry from the edge of pie dish. Decorate the top of pie with any leftover pastry.
Baking until the pastry is crisp and golden for around 20-30 minutes.
Oven temperature: 190c,375f.Gas 5.