East meets West in this show-stopping vegan centrepiece. The dish fuses the fragrant herbs, spices and vegetables of a traditional samosa filling, encased in a golden pastry shell (if you've never braved making pastry at home, this foolproof method is a good place to start). Delicious hot or cold, it's a recipe to return to time and time again.
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Yields:
8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr 50 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 20 mins
Cal/Serv:
516
Ingredients
For the filling
2Tbsp.
vegetable oil
2
large onions, finely sliced
3
garlic cloves, crushed
3
cm fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
1
red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2Tbsp.
medium curry powder
2tsp.
mustard seeds
2tsp.
cumin seeds
1Tbsp.
black onion seeds
100g
red lentils, rinsed in cold water
2
large tomatoes, roughly chopped
1
large carrot, finely chopped
500ml
vegetable stock, vegan if needed
1
small cauliflower, roughly 600g, cut into small florets
150g
frozen peas
Large handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
For the pastry
350g
plain flour
100g
strong white bread flour
1tsp.
turmeric
150g
Trex vegetable fat
1Tbsp.
unsweetened soya milk
Directions
Step 1Start by making the filling. Heat the oil in a large pan and gently cook the onions for 15min until completely softened and deep golden. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and spices and cook for 2min, then add the lentils, tomatoes, carrot, stock and some seasoning.
Step 2Bring to the boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 20min. Remove lid and stir in the cauliflower. Cook for a further 10min, until cauliflower and lentils are tender, then stir through the peas and coriander. Check seasoning and set aside to cool.
Step 3When the filling is cool, make the pastry. In a large bowl, mix the flours with the turmeric and ½tsp fine salt. Add the vegetable fat and rub it in with your fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour in 125ml just-boiled water and bring together with a wooden spoon. Tip on to a work surface and (when cool enough to handle) knead for 2min to form a cohesive ball. Cut off a ¼ and wrap in clingfilm.
Step 4Roll out the larger piece of pastry to a circle approximately 3-5mm thick. Use to line a deep 20.5cm round cake tin, working the pastry so it comes 7cm up the sides of the tin.
Step 5Spoon in the filling and smooth to level. Roll the remaining pastry out to a circle just larger than 20.5cm – use your cake tin base as a guide. Lay this over the filling and pinch the edges of the pastry together to seal. Cut a steam hole in the middle and chill for 30min.
Step 6Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Brush the pie top with soya milk. Cook for 1hr. Leave to stand in tin for 10min before removing from tin and serving.
Get ahead
Prepare to end of step 5 up to 4hr ahead. Complete recipe to serve.
Freeze ahead
Complete recipe. Leave to cool completely in tin. Wrap well in tin and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, defrost in fridge and reheat in an oven preheated to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 until piping hot.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
