Puff Pastry Pasties & Hot Tomato Sauce
(Basic & arguably the best)
Serve with a big salad if possible!
Ingredients:
4 – 6 Premade frozen (no milk, no butter) puff pastry
Some brands aren’t labelled ‘vegan’ so read the ingredients list for info.
3-4 medium potatoes cubed
2-3 onions chopped semi-fine
¼ cabbage finely sliced/ chopped
1 ½ - cups frozen peas or beans
1-2 tsp Keens curry powder (or other)
3-4 tbsp oil
½ - 1 cup water
Salt, pepper to taste
1 flat tbsp corn flour in ¼ cup water (optional)
Sesame seeds (optional)
Method:
- Take pastry out of freezer and let thaw whilst you’re preparing vegetables.
(I find it easier not to let it thaw out completely as it’s easier to use when it’s still cool and pliable rather than too soft).
- Prepare the veg, fry all together (except cabbage) with curry powder in a large pan on medium heat, stirring constantly.
- As the potatoes begin to stick and the mix begins to brown a little, add water.
- Add cabbage and stir in.
- Put lid on and turn heat down to simmer, stirring occasionally.
- When potatoes are almost cooked, about 10-15 mins, turn heat off and let cool. (You don’t have to cook mix totally as the oven cooking time will do this).
- Optional - Mix corn flour and water and add to veg for a smoother mix that holds together better especially if it’s a bit watery.
- Meanwhile cut each pastry sheet into 2 rectangles or 4 squares (or even 8 party-size pieces - have fun experimenting).
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees F or 190 C.
- Add the frozen peas or beans to veg mix and stir through. (The frozen peas/ beans cool the mix enough so that it’s less likely to make pastry too soft to handle).
- Now place good spoonfuls of mixture onto pastry sheets and, pressing edges together where needed.
- Optional - Before putting in oven, brush olive oil or spread a little margarine on each and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Place on trays, and cook for 15 – 20 mins until golden brown and puffy.
My friend Traci put me onto her recipe saying it was a great party food. Ever since then it’s become a favourite one, on order from the kids when ever they are home. Thanks Traci.
Experiment with herbs and spices
Instead of curry powder, try:
1tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
Chilli according to taste
OR:
1tsp basil
1tsp oregano
½ tsp rosemary
½ tsp sage
Experiment with Vegetable variations:
- Add a cup of pre-soaked tvp when preparing & frying the veg at start.
- Add a thinly sliced red capsicum and sliced mushrooms to mix.
- Omit cabbage and add any of the above but add 1-2 more potatoes.
Tasty hot Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
1 800 gm tin of tomatoes
1 tsp garam massala
1 tbsp brown (or other) sugar
¼ cup cider vinegar (is best but other will do)
¼ - ½ tsp salt
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
(Or 1 tsp Italian herb mix instead of basil & oregano)
1 – 2 tbsp olive oil.
Method:
- Place all ingredients into small pan
- Bring to boil then and allow to simmer very gently for 15 – 20 mins while pasties are cooking in oven.
It’s the simmering that gives the sauce its flavour. If it’s not slowly simmered for that time it won’t taste very nice.
Failing this squeeze some tomato sauce from a bottle!
I forgot to take pics while I was making them so I'll add those next time, meanwhile my next post will be the sweet pastries and they will show how to fold the pastry if that's a problem!
