I'm a foodie and I'm addicted to baking - there, I said it! I also have a confession to make - I'm relatively new to cooking, too, although my passion for it is growing by the day.
Like most people who have just started something new, I can often act as if I know everything there is to know on the subject. To my family's horror I sometimes even pretend I'm Delia or Loraine Pascal whilst cooking and I can often be found talking my way through a recipe just like they do on TV.
One of my favourite family recipes is called Loaded Sausage Meatball Pie. It's the perfect recipe to bake with the kids on a cold and rainy day. It's quick, easy to make, and the best part of all is that it taste great, too.
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Loaded Sausage Meatball Pie
Serves 4
Ready-made short crust pasty or you can make your own
8 sausages
1 large white onion
1 can of baked beans
Salt and pepper to taste
Oregano or dried herbs (optional)
Pre heat the oven to 200.
Peel and thinly slice the onion then place them on the base of an oven proof dish.
Chop each sausage into about 4 pieces. Don't worry about removing the skin. Roughly roll each piece into a ball. Add the sausage balls into the dish with the onions and then bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the sausages are golden brown but not fully cooked. The onions should be tender.
Gently warm the baked beans in a pan for approximately 5minutes. Do not allow them to boil. Remove from heat.
Line the base of the pie dish with one sheet of the puff pastry making sure that the pasty covers the sides.
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Place the sausages and onions into the pie dish and then cover with the baked beans. If you have it, add a teaspoon of oregano as this really brings the flavour out.
Close the pie by adding the second sheet of pastry over the top. Seal the edges together by pressing down on the rim of the dish with a fork. Trim any excess pasty away from the sides.
I like to use the spare pastry to decorate the top of the pie. Finally make two or three small slits in the top of the pie to allow air out during cooking. Then brush the surface with a small amount of milk. This will turn your pie into a shiny masterpiece once baked.
I usually serve this pie with homemade potato wedges. Enjoy.