If I had to describe my perfect comfort food item, 'creamy' would definitely be a word I would use. There would also certainly be pastry involved. And, just to pull it back from heart-attack status, I'd include some chickpeas and plenty of veg.
In other words, this chickpea pot pie is pretty damn close to perfect. Flavoured with just a hint of curry to cut through the creaminess, it's the ultimate comforting winter dinner.
There's nothing more inviting than a flat piece of pastry just waiting to be broken open...
Plus, because I did my usual pot pie cheat, it was easy to make too. Whenever I make a pot pie, I use a frozen vegetable mix - they always come with the perfect selection of vegetables. This particular one had peas, carrots, green beans and corn, but sometimes they also have broccoli or cauliflower, both of which also work well. I just don't see the point of chopping and cooking vegetables for something like this when all the work has already been done for you. They're freshly frozen (I know that's an oxymoron but you get my point), and it usually works out cheaper to buy them this way too. Win-win-win.
Of course, feel free to prepare your veg from scratch if you prefer. That's your prerogative (is that right? That first 'r' always catches me out. It looks so wrong!).
And now I'm going to be singing that Britney Spears song for the rest of my life. Great.
- 20g butter
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoon plain flour
- 3 tablespoon milk
- 100ml vegetable stock
- 175g frozen vegetable mix (mine had carrots, peas, green beans and corn)
- 400g tin chickpeas, drained (240g when drained)
- 1 teaspoon mild curry powder
- Black pepper
- 250g puff pastry
- Flour for rolling
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, and cook the onion and garlic over a medium heat for a couple of minutes. Turn the heat down a little and add the flour. Cook for one more minute, stirring constantly, and then add the milk and vegetable stock a little at a time, stirring to allow the mixture to come together before adding more.
- Add the frozen vegetables, chickpeas, curry powder and plenty of black pepper, and leave to simmer gently while you prepare the pastry.
- Heat the oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6 / 400°F).
- Roll out the pastry on a floured surface, and cut into pieces that are big enough to cover your baking dishes. I made two smallish pies, but I probably could have managed 3 because they were a little too big for one person. Alternatively, you could make one big pie.
- Distribute the filling mixture evenly between your dishes, and lay the pastry on top, pressing around the edge to seal. Cut off any extreme excess but leave a little around the edge because the pastry will shrink a bit as it cooks. Make a couple of holes in the top of each pie with a knife to allow steam to escape.
- Place the pie dishes on a baking sheet, and bake for around 30 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and puffed up.
If you're a pie fan, why not also try my veggie pot pie pasties:
Emma says
I ate a green chicken curry with potatoes years ago at the home of an East Indian cook from Guyana. She also prepared a stuffed flat bread she called Dal Porie(so) and a relish using unripe mangos. She moved away and I really want to make these as they were incredibly delicious. I've searched for the recipes with no success. They're not under classic Indian cuisine probably because she is Guyanan East Indian. Do you have any suggestions as to where I might find the recipes for this kind of cooking? Thanks!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
I'm not sure, sorry! Not an expert on Indian cuisine, I usually do my own cheater's versions ;)
Amanda says
I'm eating this now, and it is delicious! Hearty and filling. I'm trying to get better about cooking quality vegetarian food, and this recipe was a great addition to my small collection.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Yay thanks for your message Amanda, glad you're enjoying it!! :) there's plenty more inspiration on here if you fancy expanding your repertoire even further!
CakePants says
This looks awesome! I love the idea of having a curried pot pie - yum :)