About the Recipe
A tasty, creamy pie filling that children love. I have presented two options for the filling; one with dairy and wheat, and the other both dairy-free and gluten-free. I have also provided a healthy gluten-free alternative to pastry should it be desired or required. The picture above shows the vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free pie filling with the 'alternative to pastry' base.
Specs: Nut-free, Wheat-free, Gluten-free (choose the alternative to pastry below), Dairy-free (choose coconut milk). Vegan or Vegetarian.
Ingredients
200g green beans
250 g Brown mushrooms
1 tsp mixed dried herbs
1 medium onion
A few sprigs fresh oregano (optional)
puff pastry (or alternative to pastry in description)
Butter (or oil)
3 Tablespoons qheat flour (or 3 cornflour)
1 1/3 cup milk (or 1 cup coconut milk)
Preparation
Step 1
Chop approximately 200g of green beans. Place cut green beans in a pan with half a cup of water and salt. Close the lid and cook on medium-high heat till it just starts to soften. Alternatively, steam the green beans in a steaming basket. Drain the water and remove the green beans from the pan.
Step 2
Add half a tablespoon butter or a drizzle of oil to the pan. Add in chopped brown mushrooms. Fry on medium-high heat with salt and 1 tsp mixed dried herbs. Cook till all the moisture has dried up and the mushrooms have browned slightly. Set the mushrooms aside with the green beans.
Step 3
For the filling with dairy and wheat flour: Add 1 heaped tablespoon butter and 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour to the empty pan and continue to fry on low heat for about 3 minutes. Undercooked flour will give a soupy taste. Once the flour smells toasty, add 1 cup milk a little at a time, stirring or whisking vigorously and continuously to avoid lumps. Add salt to taste and continue to cook till the sauce thickens slightly (about 2 minutes).
For the dairy-free, gluten-free filling: To the empty pan, add 1 finely chopped onion with a drizzle of olive oil. Fry on low heat till translucent. Add 1 tablespoon oil and 3 tablespoons cornflour and fry on low heat for about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup coconut milk a little at a time, stirring or whisking vigorously and continuously to avoid lumps. Add salt. Stop cooking when all the milk is incorporated into the flour. Turn the heat off.
Step 4
Add the cooked mushrooms and green beans and stir through. Adjust salt and add black pepper if desired. Add about 5 sprigs of fresh oregano leaves.
Step 5
Add the cooked mushrooms and green beans and stir through. Adjust salt and add black pepper if desired. Add about 5 sprigs of fresh oregano leaves.
Step 6
Assemble: Preheat the oven to 200 ºC. Grease a baking tin and line with puff pastry (see below for an alternative to pastry). Partially-cook the pastry in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and spoon the filling into the middle of the pastry. Pop the pie back into the oven to bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes or until the pastry is cooked.
If you are using the 'Chickpea Pastry Alternative' below then bake this pastry for 20 minutes before adding pie filling. Pie filling need only be baked for 5 minutes thereafter.
Step 7: Healthy Chickpea Pastry Alternative:
Boil 2 1/2 CUPS chickpea sprouts till soft. In a food processor combine 2½ cups of cooked chickpea sprouts, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2 tablespoons cornflour and salt. Process and then use your fingers to pat down into your pie dish. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes before adding in filling.