Tofu Pot-pie
It’s a pie! Inside you’d expect to find fruit, maybe cherries or peaches, even blueberries. But alas, this pie is not sweet but savory! When making up our weekly menu, I had an inkling to make my first ever vegan pot pie. Amy’s Organics has several types pot pies, the products that were ultimately the inspiration for my own. But really, the pot pie idea came to me when watching Chicken Run. This kids movie has a strong animal rights message and is a great watch for all ages. The 2 main human characters, the farmers of course, decide they’re going to make chicken pot pies rather than produce eggs on their farm. The message stuck, so I made a cruelty free, healthy, and of course vegan version in honor of abused and eaten chickens every where.
Tofu Pot Pie
Crust:
2.5 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 teaspoons salt
4-8 Tablespoons cold water
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
For the crust:
Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl, adding shortening in chunks and mix in to the flour mixture with your fingers. Add all of the shortening, and mix until the flour forms pebble-like shapes. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the vinegar and 4 Tablespoons of water. Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of the liquid mixture over the flour/salt/shortening mixture. Add the remaining mixture 1 Tablespoon at a time. Slowly add more water 1 Tablespoon at a time until a dough forms, stirring with a spoon or spatula. Divide dough in half and roll each lump out with a rolling pin (or if you’re like me and don’t have one, a glass bottle) between a large sheet of folded wax paper or plastic wrap. Use one sheet of dough to line a pie pan, reserve the other for the top of the pie.
Filling:
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
oil for sautéing
1/2 block extra firm tofu, cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
pinch of dried oregano and black pepper
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1/4 cup oil or Earth Balance
salt to taste
Gravy- I use this recipe to make a delicious gravy for other dishes as well.
In a large sauté pan, cook the flour until you can smell it toasting, then add the nutritional yeast, stirring to incorporate. Slowly add the oil or Earth Balance, stirring to mix together thoroughly. Cook until bubbly, then slowly stir in the water. Whisk or stir with a fork to remove clumps, then add soy sauce and cook over low heat, allowing the gravy to thicken. Salt to taste.
While the gravy is thickening, sauté the veggies and mushrooms with a dash of oil until the veggies are thawed. Add in the cubed tofu, and mix to incorporate. Add in herbs and pepper, cooking until the water has evaporated out of the veggie mixture. Stir in 1-1.5 cups gravy, then spoon the mixture into the pie shell. Cover with the other dough circle, pressing to bind the two together. Bake for 45 minutes-1 hour on 350 F. When the crust is golden, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, then slice up and serve with a little of the extra gravy drizzled over the top.
This is one of my favorite self-concocted recipes to date. I love the buttery decadence of the crust combined with the rich umami-infused flavor of the gravy. You might want to double the crust and filling recipe (sans gravy, you should have enough of that) because we ate almost the whole thing for dinner! 2 pot pies or a nice side dish like steamed broccoli or roasted veggies would make a great compliment.
Bisous!
Rachel
I’ve been wanting a pot pie lately, especially one with a rich gravy. Yours looks fabulous!
This gravy is to die for! I use it for all sorts of things, in crusts and out!
Pot pie is pretty much the perfect food, in my opinion. Then again, ANYthing with a crust…I cannot resist!
This crust is especially flakey and marvelous! A must try for sure!
YUM! Thanks for the recipe! It brings back fond memories of being a little lass and eating miniature pot pies while watching my favorite Disney movie Alice In Wonderland!!! : )
Oh you are after my own soul, my dear.
Will try this one… but with a gluten free crust… not sure it would be as good as yours though
Somebody have some idea or good recipe for a good and tasty gluten free dough???? Please!!!!!
You can probably replace the whole wheat flour with all purpose GF flour, or perhaps make a potato crust?