I love a good pie - pure comfort food for me! Not much can beat one; the crusty buttery pastry, the rich filling and not to mention the amazing smells of it cooking in the kitchen.
Serves 6-8
Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 mins
Ingredients
For the pastry
400g plain flour
200g butter, cubed
3-4 tbsp creme fraiche
Milk to glaze
For the filling
200g Portobello mushrooms
200g chestnut mushrooms
200g wild mushrooms (e.g shiitake, enoki, chanterelle)
30g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
30g dried porcini, soaked in 200ml boiling water
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
250g celeriac, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
2 tbsp plain flour
150ml dark ale
100g freshly-cooked wild rice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
Method
1. First make the pastry by putting the flour and butter in a food processor and mixing briefly. Add the crème fraiche and continue to process until it comes together into a ball.
2. Flatten out the ball of pastry using your hands until its about 2cm thick, then wrap it in clingfilm and put in fridge for at least 30 minutes or in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
3. While the pastry is chilling, you can make the pie filling. Rinse the mushrooms and wipe clean. Cut each Portobello mushroom into eight, the chestnut mushrooms in half and the rest as appropriate.
4. Heat the butter and oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and sauté the onion until soft and translucent but not brown. Drain the porcini, reserving the liquid and chop finely. Add the garlic and chopped porcini to the pan and sauté for one minute before adding the celeriac. Stir to coat in the oil then add the mushrooms. Keep the heat high and cook the mushrooms, stirring frequently until softened.
5. Gradually add the flour and stir gently until evenly combined. Add the ale and reserved porcini liquid and stir over a high heat until the sauce thickens before stirring in the rice. Season to taste. Continue to cook for a further two to three minutes then remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
6. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/gas mark 7.
7. Split the pastry into 2/3 and 1/3. Roll out the 2/3 section on a lightly floured surface to three to four millimetres thick and use to line a 23 centimetre rimmed pie tin.
8. Stir the thyme into the mushroom mixture then spoon into the pie tin. Brush the rim of the pastry with milk.
9. Roll out the remaining 1/3 pastry and lie it over the top of the mushroom mixture and trim to fit. Using your fingers or a fork, pinch the pie edge together. Make a cross in the centre of the pie and brush with a little more milk.
10. Cook in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until golden and crispy. Serve immediately with vegetables of your choice.
