Wholemeal Vegetarian Pie with Avocado Filled Prawn Salad

Posted 2016-09-12 by finy ⇒ follow

This is a healthy vegetarian pie which is also delicious. Made with wholemeal flour instead of plain flour, I have added salted cashews and cheeses to add to the flavour as I think it would be a bit bland without these.

The prawns in avocado are delightful and would also make a good salad on their own, and in this instance I have served them in the avocado skin, and sitting on a lettuce leaf.

Preparation Time: 45 minutes plus 1 hour marinating
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Makes: 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients
For the pie
280 g wholemeal flour
140 g butter
For the filling
250 g broccoli
250 g carrots
60 g salted cashews (or you could use peanuts)
150 g Gouda or Swiss cheese, grated
35 g blue cheese (or just use all Gouda)
3 tbsp cream
Bit of Milk for glaze

For the Avocado
¾ tbsp mayonnaise
0189 tsp rice vinegar
¾ tsp parsley, chopped
Bit of dill
Bit of salt
Bit of onion powder
Bit of pepper
126 g prawns, chopped into small pieces
½ tbsp green olives, sliced (I used Moroccon, from Coles, for extra kick!)
1 tbsp celery, very thinly sliced
½ tsp spring onions (optional)
1 avocado
Bit of paprika
2 lettuce leaves

Method
For the avocado

Make this first as it has to marinate for about an hour if possible.

Mix the mayonnaise, rice vinegar, parsley, dill, salt, onion powder or flakes, and pepper until smooth.

Mix in the prawns, olives, celery, and onion.

Allow this to stand for around 1 hour, or it can be more.

Just before you are ready to serve the meal, cut the avocados in half lengthwise, and remove the pips, leaving the skin intact.

Cut a tiny piece of avocado off the bottom of each half so that they will sit flat.

Remove the flesh carefully, reserving a few pieces for garnish, and cutting the rest into small pieces.

Mix these cut pieces of avocado into the prawn mixture.

Put a lettuce leaf on each plate, add the avocado shell, and fill with the prawn mixture.

Sprinkle some paprika on the top and garnish with the reserved pieces of avocado.

For the pie

Put the flour in a bowl and add the butter until the mixture is like breadcrumbs.

Add just enough cold water to make a firm dough.

Roll two thirds of this out on to a 20 cm loose based tin (or a flan ring) which has been lined with baking paper, or sprayed with oil.

I did not use all the dough as I like the pastry to be very thin, and bring it up the sides.

I found this dough made with wholemeal flour to be much "lighter" than white flour, AND healthier.

For the filling

Preheat the oven to 200°/180° fan forced.

Break the broccoli into small florets, and either blanch in boiling water for about 1 or 2 minutes, or put in the microwave till it just starts to get soft.

Peel and grate the carrots.

Put the broccoli on top of the pastry.

Add the carrots and cashews to this.

Mix the cream in with the cheeses, crumble the blue cheese, if using, and add some pepper.

Put this on top of the vegetables.

Roll out the remaining pastry and form a lattice work type top over the pie.

Glaze with some milk, and bake for about 40 - 45 minutes or until it feels firm and the pastry is a golden colour. My pastry broke as I was taking it out of the tin as it was too hot, however this does not matter, and if you make this a day ahead if eating at a picnic, is far better.