Vegetarian Pot Pies with Mushrooms and Thyme

Instructions

Step One: Pie Crust/Dough

Whisk flour and salt in a large bowl to ensure even distribution of salt throughout the flour.
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ tsp salt
Work in butter with your fingers until only pea-size pieces remain.
*You will want to do this quickly to ensure the butter stays cold. The cold butter creates the flakes in the dough.
½ cup butter diced into small pieces
Combine egg, vinegar, and ice water in a small bowl and drizzle over flour mixture. You will want to work quickly. the dough should be shaggy.
1 large egg, 1 tbsp while vinegar, ½ cup ice water
Move the shaggy dough to a work surface. Work just enough to form a ball with no dry spots. Be careful not to overwork the dough and fully incorporate the butter.
Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Step Two: Mushroom Gravy

Heat oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
5 tbsp butter - unsalted and divided, 2 tbsp olive oil
Add the onion and cook until they are very soft, about 10-12 minutes.
1 medium onion - diced
Stir in the tomato paste until the onions are completely coated. Cook for an additional minute.
1 tbsp tomato paste
Add button mushrooms and cook 12 to 15 minutes. During this time only stir the mushrooms 2 - 3 times, allowing them to brown.
1 pound button or crimini mushrooms - stemmed and sliced
Add sherry and cook for five minutes, until the sherry has almost completely evaporated.
½ cup dry sherry
Add the vegetable broth and porcini mushrooms and cook for one hour, until the liquids have reduced by half.
4 cups vegetarian broth, ¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms
Pour the mushrooms into a strainer, separating the mushrooms from the liquid. Press down on the mushrooms to squeeze as much liquid as possible out of them. Then discard the mushrooms and save the liquid broth.
Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
5 tbsp butter - unsalted and divided
Using a whisk, continually whisk in flour to avoid lumps until there is a nutty smell, about 4 minutes.
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
USE CAUTION HERE: Slowly add ¼ mushroom broth. The flour and butter mixture will rapidly increase bubbling. Continue to add in the remaining mushroom broth slowly while whisking vigorously.
Simmer for one minute and then remove from heat.
Mushroom gravy can be in a refrigerator in an air-tight container for three days.

Step Three: Filling and Assembly

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine, fennel, pearl onions, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 cup of water, a dash of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and cover for 5 minutes.
½ bulb fennel, 1 cup pearl onions - peeled, 3 tbsp unsalted butter - divided, salt and pepper to taste
Uncover and cook for 15 - 18 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Let cool
Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium.
3 tbsp unsalted butter - divided
Add thyme and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool.
¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms, 2 sprigs thyme, 8 oz oyster or wild mushroom combination
Mix mushroom gravy in with the filling. This will be referred to as the filling below.

Variation #1 - Double Crusted Pot Pies

Beat the large egg and add a pinch of salt. Set aside.
1 large egg, flaky sea salt
Lightly dust a flat surface.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
Divide the dough and filling according to the number of pie dishes you wish to fill.
For each pie, roll the dough into two pieces, one to form the bottom and the sides and the other to go on top. The dough should be an ¼ inch thickness and about ½ an inch larger for both pieces.
Place the dough around the inside of the individual pie dish and leave the ½ hanging over the side.
Fill the inside of the pot pie with the gravy mushroom filling mixture.
Top the the pie with the second piece of rolled-out dough and then pinch the sides together.
Cut the three to four vent slats in the top.
Repeat until all pies are filled.
Set pot pies on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crusts are golden brown and domed. About 25 to 35 minutes.
This recipe should make 2 - 3 double-crusted pies depending on the size of the bakeware.

Variation #2 - Top Crusted Pot Pies

Beat the large egg and add a pinch of salt. Set aside.
1 large egg, flaky sea salt
Lightly dust a flat surface.
Flour - dusting
Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
Roll out to a ¼ inch thickness.
Place the filling in an oven-proof skillet.
Top the skillet with the rolled-out dough. You can cramp the edges for a visual look.
Cut three to four slats in the top of the dough to vent the heat.
Bake at 425 for 25 - 35 minutes, until the top is domed and golden brown.

Vegetarian Pot Pies with Mushrooms and Thyme

Equipment

Ingredients

Pie Crust/Dough

Mushroom Gravy

Filling

Assembly

Instructions

Step One: Pie Crust/Dough

Step Two: Mushroom Gravy

Step Three: Filling and Assembly

Variation #1 - Double Crusted Pot Pies

Variation #2 - Top Crusted Pot Pies

Notes

Nutrition