Creamy Mushroom Pasta Pie -

Creamy Mushroom Pasta Pie

A dish that is perfect for a romantic dinner for two. It can be made in advance and simply reheated to serve, so that you won't be tied to the kitchen.

Ingredients

450g/1lb puff pastry, thawed if frozen
Milk, to glaze

For The Filling:

175g/6oz dried wholewheat pasta shells
Dash of olive oil
25g/1oz butter
1 clove of garlic, crushed
150g/5oz button mushrooms, sliced
75g/3oz baby sweetcorn, cut into chunks
40g/1½oz plain flour
150ml/¼pt milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g/2oz mature Cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Details

Serves: 2

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Roll the pastry out into two rectangular pieces, each measuring 15 X 10cm/6 X 4inches. Set one rectangle aside to make the base of the pastry case. Take the other piece and cut out an inner rectangle using a ruler and a sharp knife, leaving a 2.5cm/ 1 inch border to make the rim of the pastry case. Reserve the inner rectangle to make the lid and, using a sharp knife, score it to make a pattern. Brush a little milk around the edges of the base of the pastry case and place the rim in position on top.

Place on a baking sheet with the lid alongside and brush all the surfaces with a little milk to glaze. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until well risen, and golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool. If the centre of the pastry case has risen too high, gently press down to create a hollow space. Place on a serving plate.

To make the filling, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add the wholewheat pasta shells with a dash of olive oil. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Drain well and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and sauce the garlic, mushrooms and baby sweetcorn for 5-8 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the flour and mix to form a paste. Gradually stir in the milk, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. Bring the sauce slowly to the boil, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the grated cheese and continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Stir the pasta in the sauce, then spoon the sauce into the pastry case. Sprinkle over the chopped fresh parsley, then place the lid on top and serve

Related food category:

• Pasta and Noodles