Spinach & Mushroom Pithivier

The Pithivier is basically a fancy French pie, it takes a bit of effort but it looks so pretty it's definitely worth it! They can be sweet or savoury & I've gone for a veggie version. It's packed with spinach & mushrooms with a hint of garlic & herbs.

Don't worry if there seems to be a lot of spinach it soon wilts right down!

Serves 4 Approx 66p per serving

Prep time 30 minutes Cooking time 25 minutes

Level 🍴🍴🍴

Pre-heat the oven to 180 Fan/200C/Gas 6

Put the spinach into a large saucepan over low/med heat. Cover & allow to wilt down but stir occasionally.

Melt the butter & oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Add the mushrooms & cook for 5 minutes before adding the garlic & herbs. Cook until the mushrooms are soft. Drain the spinach & add to the mushrooms, season with salt & pepper & stir well. Cook for another 2 minutes then remove form the heat & allow to cool a little while you get the pastry ready.

Cut a third from the block of pastry & roll it out to about the thickness of a £1 coin. Take 1 large dinner plate & a smaller side plate. First place the smaller plate on to the pastry & cut around it. Set that circle aside & repeat with the rest of the pastry & the larger plate.

Grease & line a flat baking sheet with greaseproof paper then lay the smaller pastry circle on it. 

Carefully spoon the mushroom & spinach filling into the middle of the pastry so that it is piled up high.

Brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg then take the larger circle of pastry & lay it over the filling. Tuck the pastry neatly around the filling, flatten the edge then trim off the excess pastry so you have an even border of about 2cm.