VEGAN PUMPKIN AND ROOT VEGETABLE HAND PIES
This autumn and winter vegan lunch recipe proves that eating vegan does not mean missing out on taste and texture! One of my favourite fall recipes is our Harry Potter Pumpkin Pasties that are vegan. I’m a true Potterhead and eating these makes me feel like I’m on the Hogwarts express charging along to Hogwarts for a new school year! A fond cornish pasty memory of mine is from when I used to indulge in a piping-hot vegan “vegetables in a wheatmeal pastry” pasty from the train station on the way to placements as a medical student. The stall was from a company that handmade their pasties in West Cornwall using traditional techniques. Whilst you can argue this isn’t the “proper” cornish pasty experience, as I was munching these along the South Coast rather than Cornwall, this was as close as I could get! The pasties were phenomenal. They had the most wonderful and rich filling – not dry at all but instead, the vegetables were enveloped in a thick and silky sauce. I was kept fueled and nourished during long and tiring days, so it’s no surprise that they were originally invented to sustain Cornish tin miners 100 years ago!
TRADITIONAL CORNISH PASTIES
Whilst we all have our own interpretation and recipe of a Cornish pasty, the higher powers, aka “The Cornish Pastry Association” (not Tom Cruise) have given us a set of rules! A whole genuine Cornish pasty consists of at least 12.5% meat – beef only! 25% vegetables – potato, turnip (swede), onion & seasoning (salt and pepper) all ingredients must be uncooked when the pasty is assembled the pastry must be savoury and can be shortcrust, rough puff or puff the pastry has to be able to withstand baking and handling without breaking and can be glazed with egg or milk the edges are crimped to one side to create the characteristic Cornish pasty finish Pasties are definitely not dainty, cute English food but robust large pockets of steaming thickly cut vegetables that are hearty and super warming. Our vegan hand pies take inspiration from the classic Cornish to make a pure vegetarian filling and vegan pastry.
WHY AIR FRY HAND PIES?
Make the most of your air fryer to make seriously amazing hand pies! Using the air fryer is quicker than a conventional oven. It also prevents the risk of a soggy bottom as the circulating air ensures the crust is crispy all around. The semi-cooked vegetable filling softens down to perfection and the pastry develops a beautiful coveted golden-brown finish.
THE BEST VEGAN CORNISH PASTY FILLING
I love my pasties to be heaving with plenty of piping-hot filling. The pasty is packed with pumpkin, sweet potato, parsnip, mushroom and onion All ingredients are easily available in grocery stores from the autumn or fall We have not used any meat alternatives but decided to celebrate the beauty of delicious vegetables instead. Mushrooms lend a “meaty” texture and a great flavour. We have made a gravy using thyme, veggie stock and nutritional yeast. The nutritional yeast gives a nutty “cheesy” flavour that is so savoury and delicious These hand pies are: ✅totally plant-based ✅vegan filling lunch idea ✅handheld portable lunch idea ✅buttery and flakey rough puff pastry ✅filled with chunky autumn vegetables ✅have a silky gravy flavoured with thyme and nutritional yeast ✅have a tantalising umami flavour
HOW TO MAKE PERFECT FLAKY VEGAN PASTRY USING TREK AND FLORA
Traditional pastry is made with lard and butter. We wanted to make a vegan recipe where you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between them. We have made vegan pasties in the past using wholemeal flour and oil but this time we wanted to make a vegan rough puff
The fat
To shorten the pastry, we have used plant-based substitute Trex which is a vegan shortener and can easily be found in the chilled section next to butter. We have used non-dairy Flora plant butter as a substitute for traditional butter. If you wanted to make a vegetarian pastry, you can use normal butter instead of lard.
The flour
To make the perfect pastry, we have used Canadian strong white bread flour. This flour is famed for its superior quality and high protein levels. The end result leads to fuller flavour and a nutty crust. We have used Marriage’s brand but you can buy own-brand Canadian wheat flour in some grocery stores too. If you can’t find this specific flour, then use any strong white bread flour.
To glaze
To glaze the pasties, we used a little hemp milk but you can use other non-dairy milk such as oat milk
GLUTEN-FREE CORNISH PASTY
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER VEGAN HAND PIES:
FREEZING AND STORING PERFECT HAND PIES:
IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE
