Mushroom & Cheese Pies

Name: Mushroom & Cheese Pies
Yield: 4
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: ¼ cup Mushroom Duxelles (see recipe at BeInspired.au); About 150g puff pastry offcuts; 1 egg yolk; Salt flakes, to taste; 2 tablespoons fresh goats cheese (chèvre); 20g grated Pyengana cheddar; Tomato chutney, for serving (I use Beerenberg)

Thanks to chef Simon Sandall who rattled off this suggestion on the spur of the moment when we were making beef Wellington together and wondering what to do with leftover mushroom duxelles and pastry off-cuts. You could always make the duxelles specifically for these pies and whip up a larger batch of mushroom & cheese pies with a full sheet of Carême’s gorgeous all-butter puff pastry. Don’t worry about precise disc sizes, you just need smaller ones for the base and slightly larger ones to enclose the filling – though I find it easier to shape the parcels upside down. If you can get hold of Pyengana cheddar from Tasmania use it, otherwise use a good crumbly English cheddar – this recipe is all about creating something delicious with what’s on hand. I love the synergy of a dark Sherry with the umami hit of the mushroom and cheddar in these pies; Williams & Humbert Dos Cortados Palo Cortado is an especially good match.

Makes 4 pieces

Ingredients

¼ cup mushroom duxelles
About 150g puff pastry offcuts
1 egg yolk
Salt flakes, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh goats cheese (chèvre)
20g grated cheddar
Tomato chutney, for serving (I use Beerenberg)

Method

Preheat oven to 220°C.
Roll the pastry out between 2 sheets of baking paper until it’s about 2mm thick.
Using a set of cookie cutters, cut 4 x 9cm discs then reroll pastry offcuts and cut 4 x 6.5cm discs. Lay all the discs out on a baking paper lined tray.
Lightly beat egg yolk with a pinch of salt and 2 teaspoons water.
Brush egg mixture over the 4 large discs then mound cheddar in the centre of them.
Spread goats cheese on the smaller discs and top with duxelles.
Invert a small disc onto each of the large discs, then pinch the edges of the large discs up to seal the parcels.
Press edges with the tines of a fork to seal well.
Brush with egg mixture and bake for about 15 minutes, until well coloured.
Serve mushroom & cheese pies warm with tomato chutney.