Vollie Alternatives

If you don't fancy the puff pastry option, you have alternatives. You could try a wholemeal pastry – the following recipe is one that I use all the time and it's great.

Pastry case

200g plain wholemeal flour

100g unsalted butter

pinch of baking powder

ice cold water to bind

Rub the butter into the flour and baking powder until it resembles breadcrumbs, then gradually add a glug of water and use a round bladed knife to bring the pastry together.

You can use a processor to reach the breadcrumb stage if you prefer – I'd then tip the pastry into a mixing bowl and add the water by hand.

Rest the pastry in the fridge for 30 minutes then roll out and use to suit your preference – a bottom and a top or just a top.

You could make individual pies or pasties – the world is your lobster.

You could add grated cheese to the pastry for extra flavour – add 60g of grated mature cheddar cheese to the recipe or 25g finely grated Parmesan. Add at the breadcrumb stage.

You don't have to go to the bother of making a sauce supreme. You could call upon our favourite Alfredo or, make a quick onion sauce – another perfect partner for roasted veggies.

You can use whatever veggies you want – for example potatoes, parsnips, turnips and beetroot to name but four would be great – the more the merrier. All you need to remember is that your veggies are of a similar size dice so that they roast evenly.

Part roasted veggies resembling bullets are not good at all – particularly when you're trying to impress those not enamoured to begin with!