Mushroom And Potato Pie

ingredients

• 500g potatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 200g brown mushrooms
• ½ teaspoon dried basil or 1 tablespoon basil pesto
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• 250g sour cream
• 1 or 2 sheets puff pastry
• milk or egg to glaze

method

Turn the oven on to preheat to 220°C.

Scrub the potatoes, then cut them into 5mm slices. Place them in an oven bag or covered microwave dish and cook on full power for 10 minutes, stirring gently after 5 minutes. (Alternatively, boil the potato slices until just tender, handling them gently to avoid breaking them up.)

Peel and slice the onion while the oil heats in a large frying pan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is soft and turning clear. While the onion cooks, slice the mushrooms, then add these to the pan along with the herbs, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have wilted.

While the oven heats, non-stick spray or lightly oil a 20 x 25cm (or round) casserole or deep pie dish. Arrange half of the potato slices evenly over the bottom of the dish, then cover this with the mushroom mixture and then the remaining potato slices. Stir together the sour cream and the remaining salt and pepper. Pour this mixture evenly over the potato-mushroom mixture.

Roll out the pastry (if necessary), until it will cover the casse-role/pie dish. Lay the pastry gently over the filling mixture, trimming off any excess. Decorate the edge by patterning it with the tines of a fork and puncture the pastry at 5cm intervals over the surface. Brush with a little milk or beaten egg to glaze, then bake at 220°C for about 15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

Serve with a salad or cooked vegetables and some crusty bread.