It’s getting close to that time of year when we start thinking about what fabulous dishes we’ll make for Christmas dinner! Of course, when you’re a vegetarian, the traditional turkey with stuffing or holiday ham doesn’t work. So what do you make on a special day like Christmas? This Vegetable Pot Pie should definitely fill the bill. It’s warm and unusually tasty on a cold winter night! As a time saver, look for pre-peeled and cubed butternut squash in the vegetable isle of your grocery store.Nutritional Information
397 calories; 14g protein; 50g carbohydrates; 17g fat; 41mg cholesterol; 869mg sodium; 7g fiber
Makes 2 pies (8 servings)
Ingredients for Pie Filling
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups onions, chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 1/2 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 2 cups cut green beans (I bought pre-cut frozen)
- 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 2 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Ingredients for Havarti Cheese Sauce
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/3 cup unbleached white flour
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 cups dilled havarti cheese, grated
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Ingredients for Pie Crust
- 1 3/4 cups unbleached white flour
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup ice water
Instructions
- Warm the oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the onion and bay leaves and saute until the onions are very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, salt, celery and one cup of vegetable stock. Cover and bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the squash and cook until the vegetables are just becoming tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, parsley and dill and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Cover the pot and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and then whisk in the flour to make a roux. Cook the mixture while whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of vegetable stock and stir regularly until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat and combine with the pot of cooked vegetables. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
- Mix the flour and rosemary together in a large bowl. Add the butter and work it into the mixture using a pastry cutter or your fingers, until crumbly. Add the ice water to the mixture one tablespoon at a time and mix it in until it forms a dough. Divide the dough into 2 balls. On a floured surface, roll out each ball of dough to fit the bottom of the pie plates. Press the dough into the pie plates and then fill them with the vegetable mixture.
- Bake the pies until the crusts are golden and the filling is bubbly, 40 to 50 minutes.
Based on a recipe from Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates by the Mooswood Collective
