Vegetable and Stilton Pies

Stilton cheese has a rich history, deeply intertwined with the village of Stilton and its location on the Great North Road. While the cheese was famously sold at the Bell Inn in Stilton, it was initially thought to be made elsewhere, possibly near Melton Mowbray. However, recent research suggests it was indeed made in Stilton in the early 18th century. The cheese's popularity soared thanks to Cooper Thornhill, landlord of the Bell Inn, who marketed it to travellers on the busy road. Today, Stilton cheese is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product, meaning it can only be made in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Leicestershire. 

This pie makes good use of the flavour of the cheese, but isn’t too strong.

Ingredients; serves 2

• 2 tbsp olive oil;
• 1 small carrot, parsnip and red onion, peeled and finely chopped;
• 200g mushrooms sliced;
• 1 garlic clove crushed;
• 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary;
• 1 tbsp plain flour;
• 100ml red wine;
• 1 tbsp cranberry sauce;
• 50g chestnuts roughly chopped;
• 100g cooked green lentils;
• 40g stilton, crumbled;
•  320g sheet puff pastry;
• 1 egg beaten.

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat,
• Add the carrot, parsnip, onion and mushrooms and fry for 10 mins until soft but not coloured.
•  Add the garlic and rosemary and fry for 1 min. 
• Stir in the flour and cook for 2mins. 
• Pour in 200ml water, the red wine and cranberry sauce and bring to the boil. 
• Stir until the mixture has thickened. 
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Preheat oven to 180C.
•  Stir the chestnuts, lentils and stilton into the cooled mixture and divide between pie dishes. 
• Cut 2 discs of pastry slightly bigger than 2 individual 500ml pie dishes. 
• Brush the rim of each dish with beaten egg and position the pie lids.
• Press the pastry edges to seal . 
• Make a slit in the top of each pie and brush with beaten egg.
• Bake for 30-35 mins or until the pastry is crisp and golden. 

Serve immediately.