Butternut, Red Pepper & Potato Puff Pastry Plait (2024)

A golden puff pastry plait filled with sundried tomato pate, topped with roasted vegetables and vegan parmesan. The perfect dish for Sunday dinners or other special occasions like Christmas dinner.

I'm trying out new recipes for Christmas.

I already have amushroom wellingtonrecipe,which I love, but my brother-in-law will be having Christmas dinner with us and he hates mushrooms, so that's out.

I decided to stick with apuff pastry recipeand try a plait (pastry braid) with very different flavours to my Wellington.

Topped the whole lot off withvegan Parmesanbefore plaiting the pastry around the filling.

I serve it with roast potatoes, a selection of vegetables and onion gravy. It was as good as it sounds and got a big thumbs up from everyone.

Can you make this butternut squash pie gluten-free?

It's super easy to make this butternut squash pastry plait gluten-free.

Just use gluten-free puff pastry and gluten-free oats.

It's as simple as that.

Thepâté spread in the base of this vegan wellingtonis based on asundried tomato pestorecipe I sometimes make to serve on spaghetti.

It's super tasty and I knew it would go well with flavour of the butternut squash and red pepper.

I whizzed up sundried tomatoes, garlic, basil, almonds, and some of the oil from the sundried tomato jar in a food processor (you could also use a blender or an electric stick blender in a jug).

I finished it off by seasoning it and adding vegan Parmesan and oats. The oats turn it from a pesto to a pate.

There is a thick layer of this delicious thick pate in the plait, which is topped with the roast veg.

It takes this Christmas plait to another level.

Other ways to use tomato pate

The pate would also be good served withoatcakesor on a veggie sausage sandwich.

Yep, just thought that one up but it sounds good doesn't it?

Come to think of it, you could also top a veggie burger with the pate.

Porridge Oats

I used porridge oats (rolled oats) with bran to make the pate, but you could just use plain porridge oats.

My cupboards are full of a variety of different oats, which are great for so many dishes and sweet bakes.

The one I use is high in fibre and has added wheat bran added to it.

Of course, you can make this gluten-free by using gluten-free oats.

Ready rolled or block puff pastry?

Ready-rolled pastry is my top choice for making a Christmas pastry pie with golden, flaky pastry like this one.

Store-bought puff pastry sheets are ready rolled to a perfect rectangle, which makes it ideal for making a pie like this Christmas plait.

However, you could use block pastry and roll it out on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin.

Try to roll dough evenly, into a large rectangle.

Block puff pastry does tend to give you a better rise, but it's harder to roll it quite as evenly into such a perfect rectangle.

You decide.

Most shop-bought puff pastry is suitable for vegetarians and vegans, but the 'all butter' versions are not suitable for vegans.

Puff pastry tips

1. Buy ready rolled pastry- for an even base and good shape to start your recipe with. Admit it, it's hard to roll a perfect rectangle.
2. Check the back for the ingredients- most puff pastry is suitable for vegetarians and vegans but it's best to check.
3. Take the pastry out of the box and film and leave it on a plate to come to room temperature- before unrolling it, or it could rip.
4. Leave the pastry on the baking paper (parchment paper) it is wrapped in- you can place it straight onto a baking sheet and use the paper to prevent the pastry from sticking to the tray.
5. For the best results and a golden finish on the pastry- vegetarians can use an egg wash (beaten egg) for that golden finish and vegans can brush the pastry with olive oil for a similar golden brown finish.

Making a pastry plait

Here's how easy it is to make this vegan Christmas main course or Sunday dinner main course.

1. Place a generous amount of tomato pate on the middle third of the pastry (down the centre of the pastry.
2. Top with roasted vegetables
3. Sprinkle grated veggie or vegan Parmesan (or cheddar) over the vegetables.
4. Make diagonal cuts in the surrounding pastry (to make thick strips) with a sharp knife from the vegetable mound to the edge. You will end up with what looks like a feather cut.
5. Cut a piece out of either side of the top of the pastry at either side leaving a rectangle.
6. Fold the rectangles over the ends of the vegetables to tuck them in.
7. Brush a little water at the edges of the long strips, then fold them over the filling.
8. Any extra puff pastry can be used to decorate the plait. Pastry leaves or stars always look fab.
9. Brush the finished pastry with either egg wash or olive oil, depending on your diet.

Make it ahead

Although this Christmas vegetable Wellington is easy to make, you can prepare it ahead of time. Let's face it, Christmas Day can be frantic.

Chill it - Roast the vegetables and make the pate and chill them in the fridge for a couple of days, then make up the plait on Christmas morning and pop it in the fridge to bake later in a preheated oven.

Freeze it - Make the whole plait (don't cook it) and flash freeze it on a tray before popping in a freezer bag and freezing for 2-3 months. Bake from frozen, brushing with olive oil or egg wash (depending on your diet).

pin it for later

Puff pastry plaits

The flavours in this Christmas plait can be changed to suit your taste. Here are a few alternative ideas.

Mushroom & Chestnut Plait

How to serve a Christmas butternut squash puff pastry tart

If you are serving this butternut tart for Sunday dinner or Christmas dinner here are a few ideas of what to serve with it.

I serve this pastry plait with roast potatoes, vegetables, and onion gravy. After all it's a Christmas tradition!

Choose from this selection.

Veggie Sunday Dinner or Christmas main courses

Here are a few more Sunday dinner or Christmas main courses to choose from.

These delicious recipes are all easy to make.