Creamy Broccoli Pocket Pies

Prep Time: 15m | Cook Time: 40m | Servings: makes 15 puffs

Ingredients

For The Filling

• 50g vegan butter
• 1 white onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 50g flour (4 tbsp)
• 500ml soy milk
• 350g broccoli, finely chopped
• 90g carrot, finely diced
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp turmeric, optional

For The Pastry

• 5 sheets puff pastry
• Egg wash or aquafaba

Everything Bagel Seasoning

• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp black sesame
• 1 tbsp poppyseed
• 1 tbsp onion flakes
• 1 tbsp garlic granules
• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Start one day ahead of when you want your pies! Place chopped broccoli into a bowl with a splash of water, cover with paper towel, and microwave for 2 minutes to lightly steam. Alternatively, steam the broccoli for 1 minute over the stove. Set aside.

In a large frypan, melt the butter on medium heat. Add onions and garlic and fry until onions are soft, about 1 minute. Add carrots and cook for another minute. Sprinkle flour evenly over and cook for a few minutes, stirring until there are no white streaks. Cook a little longer; the mix will feel very dry – this is normal. Add the soy milk and continue stirring slowly for 3-5 minutes until the liquid thickens slightly. Add the broccoli and season with salt, pepper, turmeric, and nutritional yeast. Cook for 1-2 more minutes. The mixture should be thick but still pourable and easy to mix. Add some water if the mixture gets too gluey.

Transfer the mixture into a container and allow it to cool completely. Move to the fridge and chill overnight.

The next day, thaw your puff pastry for 20 minutes. Cut the puff pastry into 6 rectangles. Place a dollop of filling into the centre of 3 of the rectangles (alternating is best for easy removal later). Use a small teaspoon to help smooth the filling out, keeping it in the centre but flattening it a little. Carefully peel off the spare pastry rectangles and cover the filled rectangles. Press to seal around the edges, crimping with a fork to seal further (you can also stretch the pastry a little to help cover the filling). Repeat until all your pies are sealed.

Brush with your egg wash of choice (aquafaba is used here) and sprinkle on sesame seeds, salt, or everything bagel seasoning.

At this point, you can either cook the pies or freeze them. If freezing, place them on lined baking trays, making sure the pies don’t touch to avoid sticking. Once frozen, store them in a freezer bag.

To Airfry: Airfry from fresh or frozen for 18-20 minutes at 180ºC until puffed and golden.

To Bake: Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Spray with a little oil and bake from frozen or fresh for 25-35 minutes until puffed and golden brown on top.