Little dinky pies!

I've never made mini pies before. I usually make pies the size of a house as a pie should be.

That being said these little pies are amazing. So creamy and mushroomy. AND!! as they're mini you get more of the delicious pastry case.

Serve with altogether too many potatoes or these would be fab with mash and gravy. 

Makes 12 pies

Special Equipment - Stick Blender, Muffin Tin, Pastry Cutters, Pastry Brush

Ingredients:

1 onion

1 leek

1 garlic clove

750g chestnut mushrooms

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing

2 x 320g sheets ready-rolled plant-based puff pastry ( I use Aldi)

Salt and Black pepper. 

FOR THE BÉCHAMEL

2 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp plain flour

350ml unsweetened plant-based milk

Preheat oven to 200°C. 

Start by preparing the veg. 

Peel and finely chop the onion. Trim and thinly slice the leek. Peel and grate the garlic. Quarter the mushrooms. Remove the leaves from the herbs by running your thumb and forefinger from the top to the base of the stems (the leaves should easily come away) and finely chop. 

Put the frying pan over a medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. 

Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring.

Add the leek and stir for 7–8 minutes. 

Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. 

Add the mushrooms, rosemary, thyme and 1 tablespoon oil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10–12 minutes. 

Season with a little salt and pepper. 

Increase the heat to high and cook for a further 10 minutes, until soft and all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and set aside. 

To make the béchamel, put a saucepan over a medium heat and add the oil. Add the flour and stir vigorously for 2–3 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly until smooth. 

Bring to the boil, then simmer for 2 minutes, until thickened. 

Blend half the mushroom mixture with the stick blender or in a liquidiser until smooth. 

Add all the mushrooms and the blended mushrooms to the bechamel and stir. 

Taste and season with salt and pepper. Unroll the pastry sheets and cut out twelve 10cm circles. 

Oil the muffin tray well. Lightly press the pastry circles into the muffin holes so that there is some excess pastry peeping out from the tops. 

Divide the mushroom filling between the muffin holes. 

Cut out twelve 8cm circles, rerolling the pastry as necessary. 

Top the pies with the circles. Press the pastry circles together tightly to seal and crimp the edges with a fork. Brush with olive oil and put in the oven. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden and crispy. 

Take out of the oven and let the pies cool in the tin for a moment before serving.