The Beef Wellington is an essential part of English cooking, but vegetarian versions have also become quite popular. The process is the same: a layer of puff pastry dough seals in the filling to keep the moisture inside while it cooks. The dish looks pretty technical and I’ve never attempted anything like it before, but I’ve watched enough episodes of the Great British Baking Show that I’m pretty sure I can handle it.

Recipe: Chestnut and Root Veg Wellington

Source: SuperValu of Ireland

Get the recipe here!

Modifications, Testing and Recommendations: At first glance, the recipe was a little tricky to follow, and not just because I had to convert all the metric measurements. The alternate wordings in the different steps made the recipe hard to follow along but I eventually figured it out after I read it through several times. My first attempt was a bit lumpy and it wasn’t shaped like the “loaf” photo in the recipe, but I made extra stuffing so I had enough to make a second Wellington that looked much better!

Roll out the dough on the counter before transferring it to the parchment paper on the baking sheet and brush with oil. Shape the filling into a mound and pat it down so there are no air pockets, then gently drape the second sheet of dough over the top before sealing it. If there is too much moisture inside, the Wellington will have a “soggy bottom” (as they say in the Great British Baking Show) but the cooked vegetables and couscous are easier to work with than a piece of meat.

The Wellington serves 6 people if you first cut it in half, then cut half into thirds; each person gets a pie-shaped slice that holds its form nicely. The recipe recommended serving it with cranberry sauce, but I found a great red pepper jelly to add a bit of heat. To reheat the leftovers, wrap the Wellington slice in tinfoil and put it in the oven at a high temperature for a short amount of time. The filling is delicious on its own, and can be used as a side dish or added to salads.