Forget bland vegetarian fillings, these parcels are packed with flavour. The cheese pastry is crammed with crunchy almonds, feta and beetroot to make these a real treat.
INGREDIENTS
Pastry
1 1/3 cups plain flour
pinch of salt
150 grams butter, diced and chilled
50 grams aged Cheddar cheese, grated
2-3 tablespoons cold water
Filling
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium tomato, diced
1½ teaspoons ground garam masala
2 cups tightly packed, finely shredded silverbeet leaves
zest and juice 1 lemon
1 cup diced, cooked beetroot
50 grams feta, crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped mint
¼ cup chopped roasted almonds
To assemble
1 egg, beaten
Yoghurt dipping sauce
½ cup thick plain yoghurt
1 clove garlic, crushed
pinch of paprika
olive oil for drizzling
METHOD
Pastry: Put the flour, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the cheese and pulse in enough water until the dough just starts to come together. Tip onto a lightly floured bench and form into a flat disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured bench and cut out 8 x 12 cm squares. Place on a baking tray and chill until ready to use.
Filling: Heat the oil in a large saute pan and cook the onion with a good pinch of salt until very soft. Stir in the garlic, tomato and garam masala until well combined then add the silverbeet, lemon zest and juice. Season and cook until the silverbeet is tender, turning it frequently. Tip into a bowl, add the beetroot and cool. Fold in the feta, mint and almonds just before assembling the pies.
Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
To assemble: Lay the pastry squares on the bench and put a spoonful of filling in the centre of each. Brush the borders with egg then bring the four corners into the centre and gently pinch the sides together to form a parcel. Place on a lined baking tray and chill until the pastry is firm. Brush with egg and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp.
To serve: Arrange the parcels on a platter. Combine the yoghurt and garlic and season. Tip into a bowl and sprinkle with a little paprika and drizzle with olive oil. Makes 12
Pantry note: Use tinned, whole baby beetroot, or boil or roast 4 small to medium beetroot until tender. Peel and cut into small dice.
Roasted almonds can be found in the loose bins at supermarkets.
Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
latest issue:
HOLIDAY
dish HOLIDAY is your go-to magazine for summer entertainment. Chock-full of recipes to share in the warmer weather dish HOLIDAY is a one-off special edition, designed for the beach, bach, boat or back yard. Different than a regular issue of dish, it is dedicated to making the most of warm-weather leisure time, including barbecue and salad recipes, Spotify playlists, a beach read, crosswords and puzzles, fish and chip and ice cream guides and much more.
This issue is not part of the 12-month subscription and is available only at retail in Aotearoa New Zealand.