These are a perfect crowd pleaser. You can prepare them ahead of time and refrigerate, then bake them just before your guests arrive. They are special enough for holidays and easy enough for anyday. 

2 Pie plates or 6 mini tins found at speciality kitchen shops.

Rolling pin

Preheat oven 190c/375f

2 small yellow onions – chopped

3 stalks celery- chopped in 1/2 inch pieces

1 small bulb fennel- chopped

2 small zucchini/ corgette – peeled and cut into ½ ” chunks

1/2 stick butter

¼ cup olive oil

3 tablespoons flour

1 ½ cups stock – I like lobster stock but any good fish stock will do, chicken ok as well.

¼ cup white wine or cognac

sea salt

1/8 teaspoon-black pepper

1/8 teaspoon -white pepper

¼ cup cream

¼ cup fresh Italian parsley- chopped

2 cups lobster meat- cut into chunks-you can buy this at your fish monger

1 tablespoon flour for cutting board

1 tablespoon milk or cream- to brush pastry before baking

4 sheets Short Crust Pastry – homemade or premade enough for tops and bottom.

Found in your refrigerated section. (Trader Joes in the states has amazing pre made shells)

In a large pan on medium heat add olive oil and butter until hot.

Add onions, celery, fennel and sauté for 10 minutes . Add corgette and sauté for another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir and cook for 2 minutes.

When sautéing large amounts of veggies I find using two wooden spoons is easier to mix then using one. Be gentle and mindful not to over mix though, you don’t want to break down the corgette.

Add wine or cognac and cook for 5 minutes. Add stock slowly mixing to incorporate.

Add salt and peppers to taste and cook until mixture comes to a bubble.

Turn off flame . Stir in lobster and cream and mix well. Sprinkle in the parsley and stir.

Flour cutting board and rolling pin

Roll out 2 sheets of Pastry for each pie one for top one for bottom. If pre-made you will need to roll the sheets out slightly depending on the size of your pie pans.

If making mini pot pies then this will make 6 pies.

Line the bottom of tin with a sheet of pastry and reserving the other sheet for the top.

Fill Bottom with lobster mixture and top with reserved sheet of pastry.

Pinch crusts together and score criss cross middle of pie to allow for steam to escape while baking.

Brush pastry top with milk or cream.

Bake large pies for a little over 1 hour and minis for 45min. or until golden brown.

Serve.