Vol au vents

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This is a great left overs meal that was my favourite dish my mum cooked when I was a kid. We had it once a year with Ham and Turkey left overs, but that was because my mum generally made the puff pastry from scratch. Using a sheet of pre-rolled pastry makes this delicious Christmas left overs meal with almost as little effort as buying frozen pre-made cases.

During the summer, we sometimes had it with salmon or chicken and mushroom filling instead. It is a real treat, as this meal is full of calories.

Serves two to three people.

Vol au vents

Ingredients

Puff pastry cases

• 375g sheet of pre-rolled puff pastry

Roux sauce

• 25g butter
• 25g corn flour
• 200ml semi-skimmed milk
• White pepper to taste
• Salt (do not add if using ham or another smoked meat/fish)

Filling ideas

1 of

• Ham and turkey
• Salmon
• Chicken and mushroom

Directions

The cases

1. Pre-heat an oven to 170°C fan or gas mark 5.
2. Flour a pastry board and cut out 12 large circles and put 6 down on a baking sheet (I use baking parchment to save on washing up).
3. With the remaining 6 discs, cut out the centre using a smaller cutter (suggest 7.5cm diameter for the large circles, 5cm diameter for the small ones).
4. Lay the rings on top of the large discs and fit the smaller discs in any spaces on the baking sheet. Jamie Oliver suggests scoring the centre of the big discs to stop them rising, but that's up to you.
5. Place the vol au vent cases and lids into the oven for 12-15 minutes.

Once the cases are cooking, make the sauce.

The sauce

1. Melt butter
2. Stir in flour and seasoning
3. Stir in milk gradually
4. Add filling 2 minutes before the cases are done

And serve

Place 2 vol au vent cases on each plate and pour over the sauce. Add a lid for each filled case, add some green beans, peas or carrots and enjoy.

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