Eggplant and mushroom pasta pot pies

ingredients

• Eggplant and mushroom pasta pot pies

  • 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium brown onion (150g), chopped finely
  • 2 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 medium eggplant (300g), peeled, chopped coarsely
  • 200 gram swiss brown mushrooms, quartered
  • 1/3 centimetre (80ml) red wine
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 800 gram canned crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup oosely packed fresh basil leaves, shredded finely
  • 375 gram penne pasta
  • 1 egg, beaten lightly
  • 3/4 cup (90g) coarsely grated cheddar
  • 3 sheets puff pastry
  • 1 egg white, beaten lightly

method

• Eggplant and mushroom pasta pot pies

  • 1

    Preheat oven to 200°C. Oil six 2-cup (500ml) ovenproof dishes.

  • 2

    Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring, for 3 minutes or until onion is softened. Add eggplant and mushrooms; cook, stirring, 5 minutes or until mushrooms begin to colour.

  • 3

    Add wine; cook until nearly all the liquid is evaporated. Stir in paste and tomatoes; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until thickened. Stir in basil; season to taste.

  • 4

    Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender; drain.

  • 5

    Place pasta and tomato sauce in a large heatproof bowl with combined egg and cheddar; stir to combine.

  • 6

    Using one of the ovenproof dishes as a guide, cut six rounds, a little larger than the dish, from pastry.

  • 7

    Spoon pasta mixture into dishes. Brush edges of dishes with a little egg white. Top dishes with pastry rounds, pressing gently to seal. Cut a small slit in the top of each pie. Cut remaining pastry into 1cm wide strips; make a lattice pattern on pastry rounds, brush lightly with a little more egg white. Place pies on an oven tray.

  • 8

    Bake pies for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

notes

This recipe is not suitable to freeze.