Ingredients
For the filling
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 leeks, sliced and washed
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 600 g mixed mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 200 g cooked, peeled chestnuts, halved
- 2 tbsp wholemeal spelt flour
- 400 ml vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves and 1 tsp chopped rosemary
For the olive oil pastry
- 250 g wholemeal spelt flour, plus extra for dusting
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 80–100 ml cold water
- 1 tbsp plant milk, for brushing
Method
- Make the filling: heat the oil in a large pan and cook the leeks and carrots for 8 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook over a high heat until the mushrooms are golden and their liquid has evaporated. Stir in the chestnuts and flour for 1 minute, then gradually add the stock, tamari, mustard and herbs. Simmer for 10 minutes until thick. Season, and leave to cool a little.
- Make the pastry: mix the flour and salt, then stir in the oil until crumbly. Add water a little at a time, mixing until it comes together into a soft dough. Wrap and rest for 15 minutes.
- Assemble: heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Spoon the filling into a pie dish. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to fit the top, lay it over the filling and press down the edges. Cut a small slit in the middle and brush with plant milk.
- Bake: bake for 30–35 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp.
- Serve: serve with mashed potato or celeriac and steamed greens.
Why it's good for you: Chestnuts are lower in fat than other nuts and rich in fibre and complex carbohydrates, and they have been a staple food in European forests for thousands of years. Mushrooms add a rich, savoury depth along with B vitamins and immune-supporting beta-glucans. Olive oil pastry is simpler to make than butter pastry and full of healthy fats.
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