We love a good pasty, and this is a truly magnificent one! Crisp shortcrust turmeric pastry filled with a fragrant curry made with roasted spiced beetroot, spinach and chickpeas. The curry is sensational on it’s own, and the pasty will give you a lunch of Kings. Makes 6 pasties.

Ingredients: Beetroot curry – 2 large beetroot, 2 tbsp oil; 1 onion; big chunk of root ginger; 3 garlic cloves; ground spices (2 tsp garam masala; 2 tsp cumin; 1 tsp coriander; 1 tsp turmeric); 400g tin coconut milk; 1 tbsp curry leaves; 400g tin chickpeas; 120g spinach; salt & pepper. Pastry – 400g plain flour; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp turmeric; 200g plant butter; 2-4 tbsp cold water.

Peel and chop the beetroot into bite-size pieces and roast with 1 tbsp oil and a scattering of salt & pepper at 180°C for 20 mins. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion, ginger and garlic and fry in a medium-hot pan with 1 tbsp oil. After 5 mins, add the spices and cook for 1 minute more, then add the coconut milk, curry leaves, drained chickpeas, and the roasted beetroot once it’s ready. Allow to bubble on a medium-low heat, stirring often, to reduce down. You don’t want the filling to be too wet, or your pasties won’t be crisp. Finally stir in the spinach (baby leaves, or chopped), and wilt down for 1 minute. Leave to cool (…or enjoy hot with rice!).

Make the pastry by mixing together the flour, salt and turmeric then adding the plant butter and rubbing the mixture together with your fingertips to form breadcrumbs. Add cold water, very carefully, just a little at a time, to bring the mixture together. Form into a dough with your hands. Place in an air-tight container in the fridge for at least half an hour (or make in advance and keep in the fridge; also freezes well).

Divide the pastry into 6 equal pieces and roll each out into a circle about 3mm thick. Place a couple of heaped tablespoons of the filling in the middle of the pastry, pressing it together with your hands. Brush a little water around the edges of the pastry and fold it over, pressing the edges together to seal. Cut a little slit in the top for steam to escape, then bake your pasties on a lined baking sheet for 30-40 mins at 180°C, until golden and bubbling.