Makes Approx. 6 pies
Ingredients for the curry (filling)
- 500g pumpkin diced in 3cm cubes
- 300g/2 large onions finely chopped
- 400g/1can chopped tomatoes (canned tomatoes work the best)
- 250g/1can of cooked chickpeas (washed and drained)
- 225g/1cup coconut cream
- 20g/1.5tbsp Garam Masala
- 10g/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 10g/2tsp turmeric
- 5g/1tsp ground cinnamon
- 2-3 pinches nutmeg
- 1 finely chopped red chilli (optional)
- 15g/1tbsp sugar
- 90ml/6tbsp olive oil
- 50ml/0.25 cup water
- Salt to taste
Ingredients for shortcrust pastry
- 250g/2 cups plain four
- 120g/0.5 cup vegan butter (I used Nuttelex)*
- 5g/0.5tsp salt
- 5tbsp cold water
For the lids of pies
- 3 sheets of store bought puff pastry
Method (shortcrust pastry)
- Mix all the ingredients for the pastry in a large bowl. Slowly add water and knead with your fingers until the everything comes together and forms a smooth dough. Add another tbsp of water if needed.
- Wrap it up in cling warp and keep in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Method (Curry Filling)
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC
- Place the pumpkin in a baking tray, spray with some oil and bake for 13-16 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the onions for 5-6 min on medium or until golden brown.
- Add all the spices and cook for 30sec.
- Mix in the remaining ingredients and cook for 14-18 minutes on medium low heat or until the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally to avoid burning.
- Stir in the baked pumpkin and chickpeas. Keep aside to let it cool.
Making the pie.
- Take out the pastry from the fridge. On a clean working surface sprinkle some plain flour and roll it out into a sheet of about 5mm thick.
- Using small pie tins as a guide cut circled out of the rolled pastry. The circles should be about 1cm bigger than the pie tin*
- Brush the pie tins with some olive oil/vegan butter and press the pastry circles into the tins.
- Cut the baking paper into circles the size of pie tins and line the crust.
- Place baking weights on the baking paper and bake for 15 minutes (I use dried lentils, dried chickpeas, or dried rice instead of baking weights)
- Take out the pie tins from the oven and remove the baking paper and weights.
- Fill the empty pie shells with curry filling* and close them with circles cut of puff pastry.
- Brush the tops with plant milk and olive oil mixture (half-half) and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden on the top.
- Serve hot with mint chutney.
*Cube/cut small pieces of Nuttelex in bowl and keep it cold
*I you don't have small pie tins use a big pie tin and make one big pie.
*Thaw puff pastries at room temperature before using them
*Filling should be cool before putting it into the pie crusts.