Preheat the oven to the temperature recommended on the puff pastry instructions.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat in a large saucepan with a lid.

Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes until it begins to soften.

Add the mushrooms and cook for two to three minutes.

Tumble in the rest of the vegetables and stir to mix.

Add the vegetable stock, Herbes de Provence and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Turn back the heat, cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but not too soft. (Cooking time will be longer when you are using root vegetables.)

Meanwhile, gently unroll your puff pastry on to a clean surface.

Use the top of a small bowl as a guide to cut out four circles of pastry. Place the bowl on top of the pastry and run a knife around the edge to cut out a circle.

Put the pastry circles on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake as directed on the package until fluffy and golden.

While the pastry is cooking, add the drained beans and cream to the vegetables in the saucepan and heat through.

When the puff pastry tops are ready, either spoon the stew into bowls or on to plates. Gently loosen the tops from the baking sheets and pop on to the ‘pies’.

These pot pies can be a meal in themselves, but they are also delicious served with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable on the side.