Looking for a fresh idea for how to use up your Christmas dinner leftovers? These pies will do the trick. All the ingredients listed are suggestions – you can chuck in whatever leftovers you want, just make sure they are all are cooked, cooled and not too wet.
- Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the water and bring the pastry together. Roll into a sausage shape, cover in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven 180oC/350oF/gas mark 4.
- Divide pastry into thirds. Roll out two of the thirds into 18x18cm squares that have a thickness of 0.5cm.
- Halve the last pastry third. Roll these out into 14x14cm squares that have a thickness of 0.5cm. Cut circles out of these squares using the pie dishes as a guide – you want the circles to be 0.5-1cm wider than the width of the dishes. Cut small crosses into the centres of the circles.
- Grease the inside of the pie dishes with butter.
- Gently press the 18×18 squares into the pie dishes, being careful not to rip the pastry. Press the pastry into the corners and to the sides. You will get a double layer in places – don’t worry about this, just press the folded section of pastry against the dish side, flattening it as much as you can. Trim the pastry overhanging the edges of the dish, making sure to leave a boarder at least 0.5cm wider than then dish’s circumference.
- Spread the cranberry sauce across the pie bases. Mix all other ingredients – apart from the egg – together with the gravy and fill the pies with it, pressing down gently so it doesn’t pile up too much.
- Pick up one of your pastry circles. On one side brush the outside circumference with the beaten egg. Press down onto the top of one of the pies – egg washed side down – and crimp the edges of the base and top together to seal everything in. Brush the top with the egg. Repeat with the other pie.
- Cook in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove and leave to cool for 10 minutes before turning out. Serve with extra gravy and vegetables.