Michelle Darmody: Back-to-school savoury bakes that would fit in a lunch box
Puff pastry vegetable parcels are a fantastic lunch box filler.
I always find savoury baked goods really handy for snacks and lunches. We do not always have a huge variety of savoury bakes in Irish shops. In other countries, they often have much more variety. Australia for example has pies on sale in most towns and villages: they come in all sorts of sizes and with an abundance of fillings. In Britain there is a history of pasties as well as pies; India has samosas; and Argentina has its empanadas. We have sausage rolls and more recently jambons. And savoury scones are perhaps another — I do love a crumbly cheese and herb scone. But the point is that there are many more possibilities out there and some of these recipes will hopefully show that.
The recipes included are also intended to make outdoor eating easier: snacks that you can pack into a lunch box or bag and bring with you to the park or beach. You can, of course, buy ready-made pastry or have some made in advance and take them from your freezer to speed things along. You can also experiment with fillings and adjust the spices and flavouring to your liking.
