Serves 4-6
Preparation time: 25 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling)
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 50g butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 leeks, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 600g mushrooms, brown or Portobello
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 300g spinach leaves, wilted and chopped
- 200g soft goats’ cheese, crumbled
- 500g block puff pastry
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp milk
For the tarragon smashed peas:
- 30g butter
- 400g frozen peas, thawed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
- Heat butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add leeks, thyme and garlic and cook until leeks are caramelised. Slice mushrooms and add to pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until softened, then remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Cool completely before using.
- Preheat the oven to 200˚C (180˚C fan forced). Dust a work surface with flour and roll pastry out into a 35 x 28cm rectangle. Whisk together the egg yolk and milk to make an egg wash.
- Spread the goats’ cheese over half of the pastry, leaving a 4 cm gap at each end and a 2 cm gap at the front. Squeeze the spinach to remove excess moisture then place a layer of spinach on top of the goats’ cheese. Spread the mushroom filling over the spinach. Brush the border of the pastry with the egg wash.
- Carefully roll the filling in the pastry, finishing with the seam on the underside. Press the ends together to seal and transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Score lightly into a lattice shape. Brush with remaining egg wash and bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before carefully transferring onto a serving platter.
- To make the tarragon smashed peas, melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add peas and tarragon and cook covered, for 3-4 minutes, or until soft. Add lemon juice and season. Mash until mushy.
- Serve with tarragon smashed peas.
Smart Tips:
- Prepare the wellington filling up to 1 day in advance, and refrigerate to save time on the day.
- Left over wellington can be stored in the fridge for a day and reheated in the oven to serve.
