Can you take a pie through airport security!!!!!

Mushroom curry pie (dairy/egg free)

Okay new holiday dilemma, I want to take my own food to eat on my flight. I don't want the stress of getting to the airport and not being able to find anything. I can't just eat my orange and cranberry scones on the flight, it would be boring..... 

I know you definitely can't take meat and dairy products due to recent foot and mouth outbreak, not much of a problem for me as I can't eat either of these. You’re okay to take solid food items through airport security, so does a homemade mushroom pie count as a solid food item?

Who knows!!!!! Don't think I'll take the chance, there too good to have confiscated.  I think I'll go for my second option and just take a bag of Morrisons Sweet and salty popcorn. 

Who knew that traveling with my IBS intolerances would be more stressful, than my anxiety disorder. I like traveling by plane; I find any vehicle that people are strapped in too has a positive effect on their behaviour.

Today’s menu -

I love recipes that you can make more than 1 type of meal from. Last night I made myself a dairy free mushroom and pea curry. The dairy free part of the recipe comes from the coconut milk I used in the sauce.

For my own take on fusion food, I cooked pasta instead of rice to go with it. The Creamy sauce went well with the pasta. The fact that I'm notoriously bad at cooking rice might have had something to do with my decision......

I stored the rest in the fridge and used it today to make Mushroom curry pies, with home-made short crust pastry.

Dairy free Short crust pastry recipe

6oz Flour

3oz Trex (vegetable shortening)

Cold water to mix.

Traditionally you would rub the fat into the flour with your fingers; however I found mashing it in with a fork works better. Once there are no large lumps left, and the mix looks like bread crumbs slowly add the cold water. First mix in with the fork, then use your hands to form a soft dough.

For pies, I roll out the pastry straight away and place it in the baking tin. Which I then place in the fridge to firm up. Cooks a lot better from chilled. Once the pastry was firm I added the mushroom filling and topped the pies, making a hole in top for the steam to escape.

Baked at 200 Celsius for 20 - 25 mins.

Pie's bake better if the filling isn't too wet.

Mushroom Curry

175g mushrooms, chopped

1/2 onion, diced

75ml dairy and yeast free veggie stock.

150ml Coconut milk

2 tsp. Garam Masala

1/2 tsp. Chilli Powder

2 tsp. soya sauce

1 tsp. dried coriander.

1 tbsp. Flour

2-4 oz. Frozen Pea's

Soften the onions before adding the mushrooms to the pan; cook for another few min before adding the spices. Once you can smell the spices release with the heat, add in your flour and coat your veggies.

The flour will help thicken the sauce. Cook another few min's then add veggie stock and coconut milk. Stir curry occasionally and simmer for 20 min's.

I then added my soya sauce, dried coriander and pea's. Once the pea's where cooked through it's ready to serve. 

I used these spices because they were on hand and I like there taste.  You can always substitute them for your own favourite blend. The same goes for the pea's. 

TOP TIP:

- When making pies, let your filling cool totally and chill in the fridge before spooning into your pastry. This helps stop the pastry getting soggy when baked.

- I find cooked pies freeze better, than un-cooked ones. I wrap mine in greaseproof paper before placing in a freezer bag, this stops them getting freezer burn. Once defrosted, you can then re-use the paper they were wrapped in to bake them one.