Indian · serves 2

Veg Puff

The bakery classic. Shop-bought pastry makes it a thirty-minute job.

40 min Some work Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 2 sheets puff pastry
  • 3 potatoes, boiled and cubed
  • 1/2 cup peas
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 egg or milk to glaze

Method

  1. Filling: cumin, onion, then carrot and peas, then potatoes with all the powders and salt. Cook it dry.
  2. Cool completely. This is not optional — warm filling melts the pastry's butter layers and you get flat pastry.
  3. Cut the pastry into rectangles, filling on one half, fold over and press the edges with a fork.
  4. Chill the assembled puffs 15 minutes.
  5. Egg wash or milk on top, a small slit for steam.
  6. 200°C for 20-25 minutes until deep golden and risen. Ketchup and chai.

Questions people ask about Veg Puff

How long does Veg Puff take?

About 40 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is a bit of work. Most of that is active, so read the method through before you start rather than chopping as you go.

What is the one thing to get right in Veg Puff?

Cool completely. This is not optional — warm filling melts the pastry's butter layers and you get flat pastry.

What can I use instead of potato in Veg Puff?

Use waxy potatoes hold their shape, floury ones fall apart. For curries you want waxy.

Can I make Veg Puff ahead of time?

Not really. This one relies on being crisp, and crisp does not survive the fridge. Prepare the components ahead if you like, but cook it just before eating.

Is Veg Puff vegetarian?

Yes, it is vegetarian. It is not vegan as written because it contains dairy; swap the dairy for a plant alternative and the rest of the method is unchanged.

Do I need an oven for Veg Puff?

Yes, this one needs an oven. If you do not have one, look at the no-oven filter on the baking page: eleven of the bakes here are built for a cooker, a pan or the fridge.

What do you serve with Veg Puff?

Roti or plain rice, with something sharp on the side: curd, pickle or sliced onion. Baking is chemistry, so scale it by weight rather than by eye: double every quantity, use a tin with roughly double the area, and expect to add ten minutes or so. Judge it by the skewer, not the clock.

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