Mary Berry's Humble Pie, a creamy and cheesy vegetarian pie, has been branded simple and easy to follow by home cooks. The recipe, which appeared on BBC2's Mary Makes It Easy, is described as "a hearty and warming vegetarian pie packed with a creamy, cheesy cauliflower, mushroom and petit pois filling."
A comforting autumn dish
The TV chef called her recipe "Hearty, warming and a real treat!" The pie can be made ahead of time, making it a practical option for cold, dark evenings.
Home cooks who have tried the recipe have shared positive reviews. One said: "It's fabulous, but I did another pie adding chicken, and that was lovely. It's a great recipe and so easy, thank you, Mary!"
Home cook praise
Another reviewer commented: "I made the filling the day before, then put the pastry top on today just before baking. I served it with green beans and hasselback potatoes. Absolutely yummy, this recipe doesn't need tweaking in any way. Highly recommend this."
A third cook added: "Made this and it was delicious, I added some cooked ham hock with it the second time, and we preferred it with the addition of the ham. Will definitely be making it again."
Recipe details
The recipe, shared by Happy Foodie, serves six people and uses ready-rolled puff pastry for convenience. Ingredients include one large cauliflower, two leeks, 115g frozen petit pois, 375g ready-rolled puff pastry, butter, 200g button mushrooms, and one beaten egg.
The cheese sauce requires 55g butter, 55g plain flour, 450ml hot milk, two teaspoons of Dijon mustard, 115g mature Cheddar, and 55g Parmesan.
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas 6. Use a deep 28cm diameter dish or a three-pint dish. Break the cauliflower into small florets and boil the leeks for four minutes, then add the cauliflower and boil for three minutes until just tender. Drain and cool.
For the sauce, melt butter, stir in flour, gradually add hot milk, and whisk until thickened. Stir in mustard, cheeses, and seasoning, then cool for five minutes. Fry mushrooms in butter for three minutes, then mix all vegetables and peas into the sauce.
Line the dish with pastry, brush with egg, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden and bubbling. The recipe allows for a decorative pastry strip on top.
