This turned out so well that I’m making it a thing – a tradition. A dish I will make every year for the holidays from now until forever. That’s a big deal for me. I’m not a very traditional person, I wore a blue dress to my wedding and I can totally relate to these guys. I don’t plan things out in advance and I certainly don’t commit to making the same dish every year – that’s just craziness. But that’s how crazy good this pumpkin pot pie was. Don’t be intimidated by those cute little sugar pumpkins. They peel really easily, you can cut right through them (no chainsaw needed) and they roast up in no time. Oh yeah, they taste amazing! And they’re really good for you, blah blah. Seriously, we ate about half of it after it came out of the oven and it was just seasoned with a little salt, pepper and olive oil. So this dish has a flaky, buttery, parmesan crust that dresses the vegetables up for the holidays. You could omit the crust for a healthier, everyday situation that’s almost just as tasty.
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Step 1
Wash, peel and chop a little sugar pumpkin. Add salt, pepper and some olive oil and roast on 350 for about 10 minutes. If you’re roasting the seeds – they will be done sooner.
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Step 2
Chop up onions, celery and carrots.
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Step 3
Saute mirepoix in a little olive oil on medium heat until onions turn translucent. Add some salt and pepper here. Then add the rest of the vegetables with the stock and simmer on low while you make the dough.
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Step 4
Make a roux. Add a generous pat of butter to a small hot pot. Once melted, add two tablespoons of flour (one at a time). Let that get toasty, bubbly and fragrant for a delicious nutty flavor.
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Step 5
As soon as the roux begins to thicken, slowly add the vegetable stock, one ladle full at a time.
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Step 6
Place vegetables in oven-proof bowls. Taste for salt and pepper.
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Step 7
Combine ingredients for the dough in your stand mixer or with your hands. Roll out on a well floured surface.
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Step 8
Thinly and evenly roll out the crust. Form dough over bowls and make decorative cuts for the steam to escape. For a shiny looking crust, brush an egg wash over the pie before baking.
Roasted pumpkin, beautiful kale, filling beans – made flavorful with a mirepoix. You could totally eat this naked (without the buttery crust) for a healthy, hearty meal.
Ingredients for Vegetable Filling
1 small sugar pumpkin, roasted
3 large carrots
2 celery stalks
2 cups vegetable stock
1 small white onion (or half of a large one)
1 bunch of kale (about 8 cups chopped, stems removed)
1 can of white kidney beans
4 garlic cloves, crushed
generous salt and pepper
pinch of pepper flakes
olive oil for sautéing
Ingredients for the Roux
1 generous pat of butter
2 tablespoons flour
vegetable stock, about 2 ladles full (taken from above)
salt, pepper
Ingredients for Crust
1 3/4 cup flour
1 stick of butter
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 egg for egg wash (optional)
Directions
Wash, peel, chop and roast the a small sugar pumpkin on 350 F for 10 minutes. Sauté the mirepoix on medium heat with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Wash and chop the kale, removing the stems. Add to the mirepoix and let wilt on low with vegetable broth. Make a roux: melt butter in a hot pot, add two tablespoons of flour, one at a time. Let that get toasty and fragrant before you add the stock – one ladle full at a time. Mix roux in with remaining filling ingredients. Combine ingredients for the crust with your hands or stand mixer. Roll out dough on a well floured surface in the shape of your oven-proof bowls. Place filling in bowls, don’t fill to the brim – you don’t want the good stuff to run over! Place crust on top of bowls and pinch edges around the rim. For a shiny looking crust, brush an egg wash over the pie before baking. Bake for 35 minutes on 375 F.
Notes
If the crust don’t seem to want to come together – add 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold water.
Photography by Paige Alisa