Mushroom and Ricotta Pies with Red Pepper Pesto

The Illustrated Quick Cook

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Ingredients

½ cup olive oil		1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced		2 sheets pre-rolled puff pastry (preferably made with butter), thawed if frozen; or 1 x 17.3 oz (425 g) box frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed as package directs
2 red bell peppers, sliced		7 oz (200 g) ricotta cheese
2 garlic cloves, crushed		1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon		sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 oz (300 g) small mushrooms, halved

Prep: 25 min Total: More than 60 min

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1
Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To make the red pepper pesto, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy frying pan over low heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook gently for 5 minutes until soft. Add the peppers, and cook, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes until tender.
2
Transfer the onion mixture to a food processor. Add the garlic and lemon zest and juice, and pulse, turning the machine on and off, until the mixture becomes a chunky puree. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat another 3 tbsp of the oil in a clean large heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and leeks, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until the mushrooms have lightly browned. Set aside.
3
Cut each pastry sheet into 4 squares. Divide the ricotta equally among 4 of the squares, leaving a ½ in (1cm) border all around the edges. Spoon the mushroom and leek mixture evenly over the ricotta. Using a sharp knife, cut diagonal slashes across the surface of the remaining 4 pastry squares, being careful not to slice all the way through, then lay one evenly over the top of each square that has the ricotta-mushroom filling. Pinch and twist together the corners of the pies to seal, and brush the tops with the egg yolk to glaze.
4
Place the pies on the baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve with the red pepper pesto, and a leafy green salad.

The pies are slightly open on the edges, which allows steam to escape so that they don't become soggy.

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