Gluten free puff pastry?! There's no such thing, is there? Well, thanks to those clever bods at Genius, there is now! My Dad bought me a pack to try and immediately my brain started to whirl with the possibilities. Ahh...to do pastries or to do something savoury? Eventually, I settled on a pie...a ratatouille pie! Yes! Excellent!
The one major issue with this pastry is that it comes as one huge block, rather than two smaller blocks. This is obviously so you can use it for something really large, but as it needs to be used within 24 hours of defrosting, it would be more convenient in two pieces.
Rolling it out once defrosted (around 6-8 hours, depending on house temperature) was a doddle, and I must say it puffed up pretty darned well! We brushed it with a little milk for that 'glossy' look, and although it was slow to puff up - it started after about 20 minutes in the oven - when it did puff it rose by about an inch. But eating the pastry was the real treat. It tastes just like the puff pastry I remember. Delicate without being too crumbly, flakey and buttery. When you bite into it, it manages to have a crisp bite, yet it melts beautifully. Overall, it worked incredibly well and our dish would have been far poorer without it. I will DEFINITELY be buying this pastry again.
Want to know how to make this delicious, yet healthy pie? Here's the recipe!
Ratatouille Pie - serves 3-4
1 large courgette, thinly sliced1 large aubergine, thinly sliced
1/2 large bell pepper, cut into strips
4 large cloves garlic, minced
40g grated parmesan (or, if you prefer, 60g extra mature cheddar)
1tbsp each dried rosemary, thyme, oregano and basil
300g passata (sieved tomatoes
100g chopped tomatoes
1/2 pack of Genius Puff Pastry, defrosted
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg cup of milk
Deep lasagne dish or casserole dish. (We used a lasagne dish around 22cm x 10cm)
Dry-fry the aubergine slices until each side is golden brown, then line the bottom of a deep lasagne dish with them, spreading evenly. Layer the courgette slices evenly on top, and sprinkle salt and pepper over the top. Add the pepper slices, then repeat the three layers. Add more salt and pepper.
In a saucepan over a low heat, lightly fry off the garlic - but don't let it go brown or it'll be bitter - then add the passata, chopped tomatoes, all the herbs and season well with salt and pepper. Turn the heat up to medium and let it bubble away for 10minutes. Spoon the mixture on top of the vegetables, giving the dish a little wiggle to help it work its way between the layers. Sprinkle the cheese on top.
Roll out the puff pastry until it's around 5mm thick and big enough to cover the top of the dish. Place it on top, then remove the edges with a sharp knife until it's covering the cheese, but not overlapping the edges of the dish. Brush the pastry with milk, then place in the oven at 200 degrees C / 400 degrees C / Gas Mark 6. Leave for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry has puffed up and turned a golden brown. Serve piping hot, with a side salad if you wish.
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