Cheese & vegetable pies

The cheese pastry in these pies make them taste really special but if you're short of time you could use ready to use ready-to-roll shortcrust pastry instead.

150g butter, cut into small cubes, plus extra for greasing
300g plain flour, plus extra for rolling out
A pinch each of dry mustard powder, cayenne and salt
50g extra mature Cheddar, finely grated
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1tbsp mild olive oil
1 small leek (white and pale green part), finely chopped
160g baby spinach
150g frozen petit pois
200g plain soft cheese
1tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1tbsp fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 medium egg, beaten


1. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Grease the holes of a four-hole Yorkshire pudding tin with a little butter. Sift the flour, mustard powder, cayenne and salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the cheese and egg, then mix to a firm dough. You may need to add a couple of teaspoons of cold water.
2. Make the dough into a flat slab, then wrap it in clingfilm and chill for 20-30 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the leek over a medium heat, until soft. Add the spinach, stirring until it wilts.
4. Tip into a large bowl stir in the frozen petit pois. Stir in the soft cheese, parsley and sage, the season well.
5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut out 4 x 12cm-diameter rounds and use to line the pudding-tin holes. Cut out 4x 10cm-diameter rounds for lids and cut a star out of the centre of each one.
6. Divide the filling between the tins and dampen the edges of the pastry with a little water. Put the lids on top and pinch to seal the edges.
7. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Serves: 4
Ready in: 55 mins
Price per serving: £1

Per serving:

Calories - 767
Fat - 49.7g
Sat Fat - 28.4g