Don’t you just love these pot pies being served in individual ramekins? They give a very personalized feel to a food most that of us identify with as childhood fodder. That being said, you’ll need to have eight 1-cup ramekins in your kitchen to prepare this dish.
I had thought these would be like a traditional pie with a crust beneath and more crust covering the filling, but these pies only have a pie topping. The crust topping itself was a bit dry after baking, but once mixed with the incredibly creamy and flavorful filling, every bite comes together harmoniously. Adding peanut butter to the filling of a pot pie – who saw that one coming, right?
This recipe requires that you roll your dough to 1/8 inch thickness. This can be achieved easily if you purchase rubber bands of various thicknesses for your rolling pin [see photo right]. For cookies or mini-pot pies, a standard rolling pin will be fine, but when using Measuring Rings to roll dough for a full size pie, a longer rolling pin will be needed.
Vegetable Pot Pies
Ingredients
for the dough
1 Cup all-purpose flour
1/2 Cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 Tsp salt
4 Tbsp cold soy margarine, cut into pieces
for the filling
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Medium leeks, white and green parts chopped (1 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 Cup chopped celery or fennel
2 Large carrots, diced (1 cup)
8 Ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Cloves of garlic, minced (2 tsp)
4 Ounces red-skinned potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 1/4 Cup low-sodium vegetable broth or vegetable stock
1 Vegan bouillon cube
2 Tbsp creamy cashew or peanut butter
6 Asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 Cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
1/2 Cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
Instructions
1) To make the Dough: In a bowl, whisk together the flours and salt. Cut or rub the margarine into the flour mixture until no large pieces remain. Stir in 3 to 6 Tablespoons cold water until a smooth dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill while making the Filling.
2) To prepare the Filling: Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, carrots, and mushrooms; sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Stir in flour and garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add the potatoes, broth or stock, and vegan bouillon cube. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in cashew or peanut butter and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat, stir in asparagus, peas and corn.
3) Preheat oven to 400 F. Roll out the Dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into eight 4-inch rounds.
4) Divide the Filling among eight 1-cup ramekins. Place dough rounds on top, press the dough around the sides of the ramekins and use a fork to crimp and seal. Use a fork to poke a hole in the top of each pot pie. Place prepared pies on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until tops are slightly golden brown. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe only slightly altered from Vegetarian Times.
