Mediterranean Vegetable Pie

There’s that fork again.

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes plus 20 minutes proving
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Skill level: medium

Ingredients

For the bread dough crust

• strong white flour – 450g
• fast action yeast – 1¼ tsp
• salt – 1½ tsp
• runny honey – 2 tbsp
• olive oil – 60 ml
• warm water – 260 ml
• 1 egg – beaten

For the filling

• 1 courgette
• 1 red pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 small aubergine
• 2 red onions
• 4 tomatoes
• 3-4 cloves of garlic – crushed
• olive oil – 4 tbsp
• mozzarella cheese – 10 slices
• fresh basil leaves – small handful
• s & p

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.

Chop all the vegetables into a rough dice and place in a large roasting tin along with the crushed garlic. Sprinkle with olive oil, mix together and place in the oven for 30 minutes (stirring occasionally) or until the vegetables are beginning to char at the edges. Taste and season.

Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, make the dough by mixing together the flour, salt, yeast, oil, honey, egg and enough warm water to form a normal smooth bread dough.

Knead for 10 minutes.

To construct your pie, divide the dough in two and roll one half to a circle about 25 cm in diameter.

Place this onto a well oiled baking tray, and spoon on the roasted vegetables leaving a 2 or 3 cm border around the edge.

Lay over the mozzarella slices and sprinkle with basil leaves.

Roll out the remaining dough to a circle large enough to cover the pie.

Wet the edges of the base with water and carefully place the second circle of dough over the top. Seal the edges.

Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 20 minutes.

Brush with olive oil and bake at 200C/gas mark 6 for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Place on a wire rack to cool.

Eat hot or cold.

Verdict: A calzone/pasty hybrid style treat. Makes a perfect packed lunch… despite being a relative faff to make.

Drink: K4E & H2O.

Entertainment: Eaten at work ‘Al Desko’, so time was probably spent writing this thing.