Easter Spring Pie
This is the one we pull out every Easter without fail. It's got that proper showstopper energy, a golden, buttery pastry case packed with vibrant spring veg, and it genuinely makes the table look stunning. We love how it bridges that gap between cosy comfort food and something that feels a bit special and celebratory. Every bite has this brilliant mix of textures and fresh, seasonal flavours that just screams spring. Trust us, once you've made this it'll be on your Easter table every single year.
Before You Start
- Preheat oven to 200°C
- 30cm pie dish greased & buttered
- Blender
- Microplane or fine grater
- Baking parchment & baking beans or rice
- Chill pastry in fridge for 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 500g plant-based shortcrust pastry
- olive oil
- 1 tbsp plant-based butter
- 2 leeks
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes
- 2 spring onions
- 100g spinach
- 20g basil
- 100g plant-based parmesan
- 2 packs of silken tofu
- 100ml plant-based cream
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp corn flour
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 1 lemon - zest and juice
- 100g good quality plant-based burrata
- 125g asparagus
- fresh basil - for garnish
Method
Make and bake the pie case
- Lightly dust a surface with the flour and roll out the pastry to a 30cm wide circle
- Grease the dish with plant-based butter
- Press the pastry into the pie dish
- Trim and crimp the edges
- Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes
- Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or rice
- Bake in the oven for 18 minutes until pale golden and cooked through
- Remove the baking parchment and beans and return to the oven for 5 mins
Prepare and cook the veg
- Cut the leek in half and slice into half moons
- Crush the garlic
- Finely slice the spring onion
- Finely slice the basil, reserving a few leaves to garnish
- Heat a frying pan over a medium heat
- Add a drizzle of olive oil and the butter and cook the leeks until softened and caramelised
- Add the garlic and spices and cook for a few minutes
- Add the basil, spring onion and spinach until cooked then take off the heat and leave to cool slightly
- Season with salt and pepper
Prepare the Filling
- Zest and juice the lemon
- Grate the cheese
- Place the filling ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
- Add salt and pepper to taste
- Transfer to a jug and stir through the cheese
Assemble the Pie
- Transfer the veg to the pie crust and pour over the filling
- Spoon over the burrata and top with the asparagus
- Place in the oven for 40 minutes until set with a slight wobble
Finish and serve
- Remove the tin from the oven and leave to cool completely
- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, top with basil leaves and extra chili flakes to serve
Tips & Variations
- Make it your own: We love this with whatever spring veg looks best at the market. Asparagus, peas, leeks, tenderstem broccoli, all work brilliantly, so don't feel locked in to any one thing.
- Get ahead on the pastry: You can make and press the pastry into the dish the night before, then keep it covered in the fridge. It actually makes the blind bake even better as the pastry is really well chilled.
- Season as you go: The filling needs generous seasoning at each stage. We always taste before it goes into the case and usually add a good extra pinch of salt and a crack of black pepper right at the end.
Why This Works
The trick here is blind baking the pastry case properly first. It keeps the base crisp and golden instead of going soggy under the filling, which makes such a huge difference. We also find that letting the pie chill before the first bake helps the pastry hold its shape beautifully, so you get those clean, crimp edges that look the part when you bring it to the table.