Hot Pizza Pocket with Spring Veg & Feta
Hot pockets are a classic American fast food, similar to a Cornish pasty, where roasted veg is encased in a rich tomato sauce, feta, and pastry. This is our take on a slightly healthier vegan version with spring veg, creamy feta, and basil.
Takes
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 150 g spring vegetables (50g frozen peas, 100g asparagus)
- 175 g courgette
- 50 g vegan feta
- 1 red onion (approx. 75g)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Small bunch of basil (approx. 8g)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp pesto of choice
- 1 sheet of puff pastry (320g)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp oat milk (for brushing)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 200°C (fan).
- Prepare the vegetables for roasting:Chop the courgette into small bite-sized cubes.Slice the red onion.Chop the asparagus into thirds.Place all the veg on a lined baking tray, drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil, sprinkle ½ tsp of salt, and add 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar. Mix well to coat.Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are nicely roasted.
- Prepare the vegan feta and puff pastry:While the veg is roasting, chop the vegan feta into cubes.Cut the puff pastry sheet into four rectangles.Cover the frozen peas with boiling water and leave for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.Using a rolling pin or a clean glass jar, gently roll each pastry rectangle to increase its size by approximately 2 cm on each side.
- Cool the vegetables:Once the veg is roasted, reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (fan).Remove the tray from the oven, mix the vegetables well, and allow them to cool slightly before adding them to the pastry.
- Mix the spring veg filling:Chop the basil and mix it with the drained peas and the roasted vegetables.
- Prepare the pastry pockets:In a small bowl, combine the pesto and tomato paste. Spread approximately 1 tbsp of the mixture onto each pastry rectangle, leaving a 1 cm border free from sauce around the edges.Spoon about ¼ of the spring veg mixture into the centre of each pastry piece.Add a quarter of the vegan feta cubes on top of each.
- Fold and seal the pockets:Fold each pastry piece over the filling to form a pocket or parcel shape, sealing the edges carefully. Turn the parcels seam-side down, ensuring not to tear the pastry.Transfer the parcels onto a parchment-lined baking tray.
- Brush and bake:Brush each pastry parcel with oat milk for shortcrust pastry or oil for puff pastry to help with browning.Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the pockets are golden brown.
- Serve: Enjoy your hot pizza pockets warm!
