Wednesday: Mushroom, squash and barley pie
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large or 2 small red onions, finely diced
300g closed-cup mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp plain flour
150g pearl barley
1 vegetable stock cube, made up to 1ltr
100g soft cheese
250g diced frozen squash
½ Savoy cabbage, cored and shredded
15g fresh parsley, chopped
6 sheets filo pastry
1 broccoli head, cut into florets
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in an ovenproof, shallow casserole dish or a deep frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onions and mushrooms for 6-8 mins until soft. Add the garlic, fry for 1 min, then add the flour. Mix until the flour disappears.
2. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Stir the barley into the casserole dish, then add the stock. Boil over a high heat for 20 mins, stirring regularly, until the barley is turning tender and the sauce is thickening (add 100ml water if the water evaporates before the barley is tender, otherwise it will start to stick). Stir in the cheese, squash, cabbage and parsley. Simmer for about 5 mins until thickened again. Remove from the heat.
3. If your pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer to a pie dish. Scrunch up the filo sheets and add them to the top of the pie – you don’t need to layer them, just make sure there are lots of folds and peaks. Brush the top of the pastry with the remaining 1 tbsp oil, then bake for 15-20 mins until golden.
4. While the pie is cooking, boil the broccoli florets for 4-6 mins until tender; drain well. Serve alongside the pie.