All Aussie Week ~ Mid Week Makeover ~ Pies ‘n Peas

What’s the classic Aussie lunch? A cold pie and a warm coke? Dog’s eye with dead horse? Yep, it’s the meat pie. But sometimes you want to dress it up a little and, following the example of Newcastle’s famous Harry’s Cafe de Wheels, why not top this Aussie treat with mushy peas?

I always make a double recipe when cooking on the weekend, particularly when I am testing for Slow Cooker Sunday. I cook larger portions because I know the six foot teenager will want a second dinner only hours after the first and also so we can have a mid week makeover meal. Sometimes weeknight meals are difficult to get on the table with dancing five nights per week, Pilates, Tae Kwon Do training, guitar and drum lessons………It makes my head spin to think about it. I’d be lost without the calendar firmly taped to the pantry door that has the comings and goings of all four of us for the month.

The Slow Cooker breakfast casserole I tried for you a few weeks ago, that smelled amazing and had positive reviews from the testers, had just under half leftover which I simply mashed all together and pulled out the Pastry Pantry gluten free rough puff sheets for a very quick weeknight meal. When coupled with the mushy peas, the reactions included ooohs and aahhhs that are usually reserved for complex weekend meals, not this quick throw-it-all-together.

So why not try it for your next get ouf of jail free card any night of the week, not just All Aussie Week?

Mid Week Makeover ~ Gluten Free Pies & Mushy Peas (serves 6)
2 sheets of Pastry Pantry gluten free rough puff pastry (available at Coles)
Leftover breakfast casserole (or any meat/potato/veggie leftovers combined)
1 egg beaten
2 cups frozen or tinned peas
¼ cup skim milk or cream
Salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 210° or 190° fan forced. Generously spray a 6 cup Texas size muffin tin or 6 mini pie plates and set aside.

Remove 2 sheets of pastry from the pack and allow to soften until pliable. Cut each sheet into 6 equal portions.

Place one portion in the bottom of each muffin cup or pie plate and stretch to cover. It’s ok if you need to pinch a bit off of the overhand and push it into another cup for full coverage.

Fill each pastry filled cup with mashed up leftovers.

Cover with another portion of pastry and fold over the edges to seal the pie. Cut the tops of each pie with a knife for air and then brush the tops with egg wash.

Place the pies in the oven and bake until golden brown.

In a microwave bowl, microwave the peas on high for approximately 10 minutes until completely cooked and very soft.

Mix in the milk or cream and mash with a masher or emersion blender.

When the pies are cooked, let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before serving with the mushy peas on top.   Or if you are cooking these in advance, allow to cool completely before wrapping in foil (or taking for lunch with your warm Coke!)

How do YOU eat your pie? For as long as she could eat a pie, the dancing daughter has always immediately flipped the lid and doused the top with ketchup. Do you eat your pies any particular way?

Follow these topics: Beef, Main dishes, Mid Week Makeover