Veggie Pot Pies

Veggie Pot Pies
(Adapted from ProFood Homemade)
Yield: 4 Individual Pot Pies

Veggie Filling
Ingredients:
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large stalk celery, chopped
1 large potato (or 2 small), peeled and chopped
35 g butter (approx 2 1/2 tbsp)
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
20 g all purpose flour (approx 2 1/2 tbsp)
Dash celery salt
Splash of white wine
150 ml veggie broth, heated to warm** (approx 2/3 cup)
75 ml milk, heated to warm** (approx 1/3 cup) 

**Heating the broth and milk is optional, but I find they incorporate better when heated.

Hot Water Crust Pastry
Ingredients:
400 g All Purpose Flour (approx 3 1/4 cups)
8 g Salt (approx 1 tsp)
160 mls Water
90g butter, chopped in small cubes (approx 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp)
100g lard or shortening, chopped in small cubes (approx 1/2 cup plus 1/2 tbsp)
1 egg
Dash milk

Recipe Notes: 

~ Have your oven ready and your filling made before you make your hot water crust pastry. The cooler the pastry gets, the harder it is to use (trust me!)
~ Really fill up the pie base with filling, try not to put too much liquid in, mostly solid filling. 
~ Depending on the sizes of your veggies, you might have more than you need, hopefully not less. I had just the right amount of filling for 4 pies.
~ You can use this recipe to make any type of pot pie!
~ For me (May 18 2022): next time roll the pastry between two sheets of parchment paper to make it easier and less sticky.

Directions:

Veggie Filling
1. In a pot, combine the carrots, celery and potato. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Using the same pot, melt the butter. Add the onions and sautée for about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sautée for one minute.

3. Stir in the flour and celery salt. Cook your "roux" for one minute, stirring with a wooden spoon.

4. Add the wine (prepare for a splash!). Then, very slowly add the broth, stirring constantly. Slowly adding the broth will make a nice thick base.

5. Very slowly add the milk, stirring constantly.

6. Mix in the veggies and set aside.

Hot Water Crust Pastry
1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.

2. Add water to a pot and bring to a simmer.

3. In a bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

4. Add the butter and lard to the simmering water and stir until melted.

5. Make a well in the flour and pour the butter mix into the well. Using a wooden spoon, combine well, scraping down the sides.

6. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and work a little with your hands until smooth. 

7. Using a kitchen scale, measure the weight of your pastry. Cut the pastry in two pieces:
- 1/3 of the pastry (for the tops of the pies)
- 2/3 of the pastry (for the bases of the pies)

8. Grease your pans with butter. (My pans are 5" diameter.)

9. On a floured surface, roll out the bases of your pastry to about 1/4" thick. Cut out 4 circles. Resist the urge to keep adding flour, it will be sticky. IMPORTANT: make sure the circles are large enough for the pastry to roll over the pan, there should be a large "lip". Set aside.

10. Roll out the tops of your pastry to about 1/4" thick. Cut out 4 circles. Make sure the circles will cover the tops of the pans. Set aside.

* This is an easy way to measure what size your circles need to be for the base of your pans. This gives you the diameter of the circle you need! All you need is some tape and a piece of string.

After I measure, I run around the house trying to find something I can use to make that circle. A Tupperware top is just the right fit!

For the tops of the pies, it's easier, I just use the pan itself and add a little more to the circle so that it will fit well on top.

11. Place the bases of the pie into the pans. If your dough tears, just piece it all in. Press down on all sides, edges, corners to make sure there are no air pockets. You should have a lip the draped over the top of the pans.

12. Fill the bases with the veggie filling right up to the top. Use a spoon to push down the filling so there are no air pockets.

13. Whisk your egg and a dash of milk together to make an egg wash.

14. Gently brush the rim of the pastry with the egg wash - being very careful not to get any on the pan - this will cause the pastry to stick to the pan.

15. Top the pie with the tops of the pastry and crimp the edges.

16. With a sharp knife, cut 2 vents into the tops of the pastry. Brush with the egg wash, again making sure not to get any onto the pan. Re-cut the vent holes to make sure no egg wash is blocking them.

17. Place your pies on a pan and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. (Mine took about 1 hour)

18. Let cool 10 minutes on a baking rack before serving.