Christmas Leftovers Pies (in an Air Fryer)
These Christmas leftovers pies are a quick and easy way to use up festive leftovers, combining a creamy filling with golden puff pastry. Cooked in the air fryer, they’re perfect for Boxing Day lunches and can be adapted for vegetarian, vegan or meat-based fillings.
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Ingredients
- 320 g puff pastry sheet
- milk of choice to brush the pies
FOR THE BÉCHAMEL:
- 40 g butter
- 40 g plain flour
- 500 ml milk
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- grated nutmeg to taste
- 100 g grated cheddar cheese
- salt & pepper to taste
FOR 2 VEGETARIAN and 2 MEAT PIES: (see note to customise to only veggie or meat)
- 500 g leftover roasted vegetables
- 100 g leftover turkey, ham etc... ( or a mix of both)
Instructions
- Make the béchamel sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the flour, and whisk continuously until a light brown paste forms. Make sure it does not burn.40 g butter, 40 g plain flour
- Still whisking continuously, add the milk slowly. Keep whisking until the mixture looks creamy and thickened, about 5 minutes. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Add the Dijon mustard and nutmeg. Mix in the cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.500 ml milk, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, grated nutmeg, 100 g grated cheddar cheese, salt & pepper
- Place 2 tablespoons of béchamel sauce at the bottom of each ramekin. Fill each ramekin with the leftover of your choice.500 g leftover roasted vegetables, 100 g leftover turkey, ham etc... ( or a mix of both)
- Share the remaining béchamel sauce between the ramekins. Stir the leftover filling slightly so that the sauce spreads evenly. (see recipe note on how to make vegetarian and/or meat pies).
- Roll out the puff pastry sheet and cut out 4 squares big enough to cover the tops of the pies.320 g puff pastry sheet
- Use the leftover pastry to cut out star shapes. I prefer cutting stars in various sizes, so I can decorate the pies differently depending on their filling, making it easier to tell them apart.
- Place the pastry squares on top of each pie, folding the edges as necessary to ensure the pastry fits neatly inside the ramekins.
- Brush a little milk over the tops of the pies, then arrange the pastry stars on top. Don’t forget to brush the stars with milk as well.milk of choice
- Bake the pies in the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Check them halfway through to make sure they’re cooking evenly, and give them a little shuffle in the basket if needed.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Note:
This recipe is written to make 2 meat-free pies and 2 meat pies. You can customise these pies to different diets. The quantities of filling are approximative. You will need around 150 - 200g (5.3 - 7oz) of filling per pie that you can customise to your liking or whatever you have at hand.
- For 4 meat-free pies: use around 600g of leftover roasted vegetables
- For 4 meat pies: use around 400g vegetables + 200g leftover turkey and/or ham
- For 2 meat-free and 2 meat pies: use around 500g of leftover roasted vegetables + 100g leftover turkey and/or ham
Nutrition
Serving: 1pieCalories: 870kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 26gFat: 54gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 528mgPotassium: 805mgFiber: 8gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 721IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 397mgIron: 4mg