Vegetarian Pastry.

akd100, Jan 18, 11:47pm
Hmm doesn't stick together.ie sheet to sheet.Just had my pie filling leak everywhere because the sheets don't stick together.
buzzy110, Jan 19, 1:41am
Alright. Enlighten me. You explain to me how ordinary butter based pastry isn't vegetarian and exactly what a vegetarian pastry is, and I will see if I can solve your problem.
akd100, Jan 19, 2:04am
Normal pastry uses animal fat and vegetarian pastry uses vegetable oil.
lost-in-oz, Jan 19, 2:04am
Didyou use some water or oil to join the edges together?
245sam, Jan 19, 2:05am
buzzy110, I am not vegetarian, nor do I cook for anyone who is vegetarian but I would assume that vegetarian pastry doesn't contain butter as it (butter) is an animal sourced product.
I'm sure that someone will enlighten us both if my assumption is not correct.

Edited to add thanks to akd100 - my assumption was obviously on the right track.:-))
akd100, Jan 19, 2:06am
No I didn't, I never had to do that with normal pastry.It actually turned out fine, but I was worried as it wouldn't seal.
elliehen, Jan 19, 2:38am
245sam, a 'vegetarian' is not just one-size-fits-all.Many eat no flesh, but do eat dairy products so butter can be a component of 'vegetarian' pastry :)
245sam, Jan 19, 2:44am
I realise all that elliehen, but I was looking at the pastry composition in its strictest vegetarian form - of course I am aware that there are many levels of vegetarianism and that many vegetarians do indeed eat dairy products, including butter, cheese, etc.:-))
akd100, Jan 19, 2:53am
This pastry is endorsed by the vegetarian society as being "true vegetarian".I guess it totally depends on what individuals class that as.I was just surprised that it didn't stick together.It did turn out ok so that was good, but I was worried as it didn't seal.
whitehead., Jan 19, 3:22am
mix a little flour and water together .ie flour paste and rub around the edge of what you wont to seal the flour will glue the lot to gether
elliehen, Jan 19, 3:31am
I am interested in your recipe for the strict vegetarians I occasionally cook for.

Could you post your recipe please?
245sam, Jan 19, 3:35am
elliehen, as you do occasionally cook for vegetarians you might like to have a look at the recipes at:-

http://www.vegetarian.org.nz/content/food/recipes/

Hope you find something useful there.:-))

Edited to add that there is a pastry recipe included on that link, in the recipe for Lentil and Mushroom Flan; however it may not be appropriate for strict vegetarians as it has an interesting combo of ingredients - no butter, but there is cottage cheese along with olive oil and So Good Soy Drink.:-))
lost-in-oz, Jan 19, 3:57am
I always wet the edges of my pastry to make sure it sticks together.Might be worth a shot next time you use the pastry.No harm in trying I guess.
buzzy110, Jan 19, 4:06am
Surely vegos eat butter and eggs. I know this because I was one for 10 years. However, vegans do not eat butter and eggs so perhaps it was vegan pastry.

To make pastry sheets stick together all you need to do is:

1. Brush the edges with water and crimp between thumb and forefinger
2. Brush edges with a mix of egg and milk and crimp between thumb and forefinger
3. Brush edges with milk and crimp between thumb and forefinger

OR, as I have just learned tonight:

4. Brush edges with a mixture of flour and water paste and crimp together with thumb and forefinger.

If you want to get really flash you can use your choice of utensil and the fingers of the other hand to crimp the edges together. There are no rules, to say that it needs to be done only one specific way.

5. One way I have used to seal edges is to grab both sheets gently with your fingers and roll the pastry over to form a lip, then pressed a pretty design in with a fork.

May I just say that to prevent your pastry from being pushed out of shape and breaking the seal, most people would prick it all over with a fork OR cut a hole in the middle. Either way the hot air will escape and so not force the pastry out of shape.

#1. So glad your pie came out well and didn't spill all over your oven. Whatever you did, you did well.
uli, Jan 19, 4:09pm
I think you mix vegetarian and vegan here.

Most Vegetarians happily eat dairy products.
elliehen, Jan 19, 4:16pm
There are as many permutations of vegetarianism, veganism as there are of the paleo/primal/lowcarb people etc

We don't get pedantic about definitions - prefer just to focus on the individual person and their preferences :)
frances1266, Jan 19, 6:41pm
If this is the vegan pastry NuWay I think it is called, I just wet the edges and it is fine.
radiodanny, Jan 20, 12:00am
All the pastry available in the supermarket chiller has animal fat in it, ie lard/dripping.Nu Way is great - if you can get it.
akd100, Jan 20, 12:40am
It is New Way vegetarian pastry.
akd100, Jan 20, 12:41am
Yes I will try that next time.
akd100, Jan 20, 12:42am
Thanks buzzy, yeah I was stressing, thinking the filling will have leaked everywhere and I'd be left with a big pile of pastry with no filling lol but it was fine, just wouldn't seal when it was uncooked, but will wet it next time.
akd100, Jan 20, 12:43am
Thanks for that!Will try next time.
akd100, Jan 20, 12:49am
I'm not a vegetarian as I still eat chicken and fish just no red meat, so I'm not much help I'm afraid.Just decided to try the vegetarian pastry.I just made a chicken, egg and pea pie.I do have some great vegetarian recipes though as I eat no meat mostly but occasionally have chicken or fish.If you would like some I can post them for you.I have a fantastic pumpkin and spinach lasagne recipe.
akd100, Feb 14, 8:54am
Cool will do elliehen.