November 29, 2022
Perfect for any sit-down festivities, this wonderful plant based Wellington is a winner. Make the filling the day before to cut down on prep time. Best served fresh from the oven.
The Vegan Glaze
1 tbsp aquafaba (water from canned chickpeas)
The Wellington
400g portobello mushrooms (stems removed)
3 large brown onions thinly sliced
sea salt and ground black pepper
The Pastry
2 sheets vegan puff pastry partially thawed
Tools
3 dinner plates lined with absorbent paper towels
An extra piece of baking paper the size of your tray for your bench top
The Filling
1Cook the filling in three separate batches, starting with the onions. Fry the onions in 1 tablespoon Nuttelex on medium heat in a large frypan. Then turn heat to low, season with salt & pepper and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until onions are soft & golden brown. Then pour onto a plate lined with paper towels.
2Next add another tablespoon of Nuttelex to the frypan, add the spinach and cook for a few minutes until wilted and glossy green. Remove from heat and pour onto a plate lined with paper towels.
3Lastly place the remaining tablespoon of Nuttelex in the frypan and add the mushrooms top-side down, season pan with salt and pepper and cook until softened (approx 5 minutes). Then remove from pan and drain on paper towel top side up so all the liquid releases as they cool.
4Place the mushrooms, onions and spinach into the fridge to cool. Do not combine them
Making the Wellington
1Preheat oven to 180C fan forced or 200C normal
2Place one partially thawed piece of pastry on the baking paper on your bench top. This will be the base of the Wellington. Then working from the middle half of your pastry base, add a layer cold onions, then add a layer of the spinach and then a layer of all the mushrooms. Keep it all in the middle zone as per image below as you want lots of blank pastry space around the filling.
3Spread the mustard on top of mushrooms and add a sprinkling of fresh thyme. Continue to top with remaining onions & finish with a layer of spinach.
4Take the second sheet of pastry - this will be the lid. Fold over the filling and then trim any excess pastry from where the base pastry meets this top pastry. Then using a fork you can start crimping, the Wellington shut. Alternatively, you can close it by twisting the edges inwards and pressing (as pictured) with your finger.
5Lastly, with a very sharp knife, gently score the pastry. Try not to cut all the way through. Create a criss-cross pattern. Then brush the top with vegan glaze.
6To help set the pastry, it is important to next place Wellington in the freezer for 10 minutes.
7Then bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, then remove from oven, drizzle again with the glaze and then cook for another 10-15 minutes. Once it is crispy and golden, your Wellington is ready.
8Serve straight from the oven with a few sprigs of Thyme on top. Goes well with green beans, roast potatoes or a salad.
