Russian vegetable pie

Ingredients

• For the pastry
• 150g flour
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 110g cream cheese
• 3 tbs butter

For the filling

• 1 small head cabbage
• 3 tbs butter
• 225g mushrooms
• 110g cream cheese
• 1 onion
• 4–5 hard boiled eggs

To taste: basil, dill, marjoram, tarragon

• salt and fresh ground pepper

Method

First, make the pastry: sift dry ingredients, cut in butter and work in cream cheese. Roll out two-thirds of pastry to line 9-inch pie dish. Keep rest of pastry to cover the pie. Shred cabbage coarsely. Wash and slice mushrooms. Peel and chop onion. In a large pan, melt 2 tbs butter and sauté onion and cabbage for several minutes. Add at least 1/8 tsp marjoram, tarragon and basil plus salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until cabbage has wilted and the onion is soft. Remove from pan and set aside. Add another tablespoon butter to pan and sauté mushrooms lightly for 5 mins. Spread softened cream cheese on bottom of pie shell. Slice eggs and arrange in a layer on top of the cheese and sprinkle with a little chopped dill. Cover with cabbage, then a final layer of mushrooms and cover with pastry lid. Press pastry edges tightly together and make a few cuts in pastry top. Bake at 200°C (gas 6) for 15 minutes and then turn down to 175°C (gas 4) for 20 to 25 mins or until the crust is light brown.