(makes 6 lunch or main course size pies)

This recipe only assists the zucchini glut in a small way but it is a damn tasty vegetable pie. Ensure you firmly press the vegetables down after each layer as they will shrink once cooked.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• Roll pastry to 2mm thickness and cut 6 rounds to fit base and sides of 6 pie dishes. (Aim for deep pie dishes about the diameter and depth of a teacup. A regular size muffin tray, made of silicone, so the pies are easy to remove, would be a good alternative to pie dishes.)
• With remaining pastry, cut 6 pie tops slightly bigger than the size of the pie dish top.
• Rest pastry lined pie dishes and pie tops in refrigerator while you prepare filling ingredients (or for about 30 minutes).
• Preheat oven to 200°C.
• Very thinly slice parsnips, kumara, potato, carrot and zucchinis lengthways (a mandoline is ideal for this). Keep the vegetables separate and cover with water if you are preparing vegetables ahead.
• Place half of parsnip slices in a layer in the base of pie dishes, pressing it down well and sprinkle with some of the Parmesan.
• Follow with a layer of kumara slices and a sprinkle of Parmesan and continue with other vegetables seasoning with salt, pepper and nutmeg after the final layer, which is zucchini.
• Repeat layers, seasoning again after the zucchini layer, until pies are full.
• Pour 30ml (2tbsp) cream into each pie.
• Mix egg yolk with water to form an egg wash.
• Brush around edges of pastry with egg wash and press pastry top onto each pie.
• Glaze pastry tops with egg wash. (Make several holes in tops so steam can escape).
• Bake pies for 30 minutes and then reduce oven to 160°C. Cover pies with aluminum foil and cook a further 20 - 30 minutes or until vegetables feel soft and cooked and pastry is golden.
• Remove pies from dishes while still hot.
• Pies can be served hot or cold and they reheat well. Delicious with Tamarillo Chutney.