Individual pot pies, inspired by Jamie Oliver

As with my chocolate cupcake recipe last month, I have posted about these pies previously. However, the post in question was one of my earliest and the pictures (and words...) now seem a bit lacking. Plus, I have refined things slightly since then. Plus, the pot pies are a good match for winter weather. All in all, it seemed appropriate to revisit them now.

The pies were originally inspired by Jamie Oliver's chicken and mushroom filo pies, which featured on his 30 Minute Meals show early last year. I was taken by the concept of individual pies, and of having just the top covered in pastry. Not being a bit pastry fan myself, and indeed not liking traditional pies much (meat or otherwise), this method of pie preparation appealed to me.

It's also a lot easier than making a traditional pie, and you can make things even easier by using store bought pastry. If you take that route, as I do, then these are quite an easy meal to create and they definitely reward the effort put in.

Our default when these are on the menu is to have a chicken and potato version for Mr Bite and a vegetable version for myself. You may prefer to make one variety but adjust the seasonings to individual tastes, or to omit certain ingredients for fussy eaters. If you live in a helpful household, you may just make everyone's pie the same. They are easily adaptable and your imagination is really the only limit.

There is something about these that makes dinner feel very British. I think it would be fitting to eat them in a pub in front of an open fire, beer to hand, perhaps with plans for a brisk walk home afterwards.

Given that I'm in Australia, I have no open fire, and I don't drink beer - well, we tend to eat them in a slightly less British way. They're still enjoyable though. They probably work in other countries too, although for those of you in the Northern hemisphere, I would recommend waiting until winter!

Individual ramekin pot pies

(vegetarian and chicken-potato)

Inspired by Jamie Oliver's 30 Minute Meals chicken and mushroom filo pies.

The vegetarian pie is vegan if made as below, but the ingredients are easily customisable to taste and dietary requirements.

Makes 2 pies in total with enough leftover puff pastry to make a small jam tart if desired.

Print recipe

Individual vegetarian pot pie (serves 1)

Ingredients

~1/3 sheet Pampas puff pastry (or puff pastry of choice; Pampas is a vegan-friendly brand)

3/4 cup pumpkin, cubed

1/2 carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 cup green beans, chopped

1/4 cup mushrooms, chopped

1/2 onion

1/2 cup vegetable stock

1 tsp plain flour

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried bsil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 200'C and remove one sheet of puff pastry from the freezer.

Add the pumpkin and carrot to a steamer and steam for ~10 - 15 minutes, until just tender. Add mushrooms towards the end. 

Meanwhile, saute the onion in a medium non-stick pan in 1/4 cup of the stock. Cook until just golden (~2 minutes). 

When ready, add the pumpkin, carrot and mushroom mix to the non-stick pan, along with the other 1/4 cup stock, flour and seasonings. Reduce heat and simmer ~5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Transfer pie filling to an individual ramekin. Cut about one-third of the puff pastry sheet and lay it across the top of the pie filling. 

Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry top is golden.

Individual chicken and potato pot pie (serves 1)

Ingredients

~1/3 sheet Pampas puff pastry (or puff pastry of choice)

1 skinless chicken breast (~150g), diced

1/2 onion

1 tsp olive oil

1 medium potato, peeled and cubed

1/2 carrot, peeled and diced

1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock

1 tsp milk

1 tbsp plain flour

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 200'C and remove one sheet of puff pastry from the freezer.

Bring water to the boil in a medium saucepan, add the potato and carrot, and simmer until just soft - about 10 - 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, saute the onion in a medium non-stick pan in the oil. Cook until just golden (~2 minutes) and then add the chicken. Cook until the chicken is browned (~10 minutes).

When ready, add the potato and carrot to the non-stick pan, along with the stock,  flour, milk and seasonings. Reduce heat and simmer ~10 minutes, stirring regularly.

Transfer pie filling to an individual ramekin. Cut about one-third of the puff pastry sheet and lay it across the top of the pie filling. 

Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry top is golden.

I usually use the leftover pastry to make a small jam tart, quite literally just with jam and some diced apple. An alternative would be to add more pastry to the top of each pie, or save it for another time.

This is a meal where we are both left very satisfied, very warm, and with slightly burnt tongues due to lack of patience in waiting for the fillings to cool. A good outcome, I think!

Do you enjoy pastry products? Or make pies of any nature yourself?

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