Root Vegetable Mushroom Pie

Before I start this post, allow me to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.  I hope you have a great day with your family!

I saw this episode on Southern at Heart.    I love mushrooms and saw it as healthy meal.  My wife would not be a fan of the root vegetables and the mushroom sauce.  So, she was out of town and it was time to strike or at least make this recipe.  As a total aside, the mushrooms I bought, and used, smelled a little bit.  They were fresh or just bought at the grocery store.  Learning experience, if it smells at all, throw it out.  I was a little sick.  Not much, but I have to assume it was a result of the mushrooms.

 

This recipe of Root Vegetable Mushroom Pie also has one make its own crust.  It is a lot easier than it looks.  I liked putting together each of the pieces.  This is a very hearty dish and a vegetarian comfort food dish.

Ingredients (adapted from Demaris Phillips):

Crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
3 to 6 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
1 large yam, peeled and diced
2 parsnips, peeled and diced
1 celery root, diced
12 medium Crimini mushrooms
8 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups mushroom broth, warmed
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

Directions
For the crust: Combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.  Add the butter and pulse just until it resembles coarse crumbs.

 

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and ice water.

With the processor running, drizzle in the yolk mixture.  The dough should just come together. If it looks dry add more water.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until it comes together; it will be stiffer than a regular pie crust because of the cornmeal.

 

 

Divide into four pieces, press into discs, and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

For the filling: Toss the yam, root vegetables and mushrooms with 4 tablespoons oil.

Season with salt and pepper and spread evenly on a baking sheet.  Roast, tossing once halfway through, until golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes.  You don’t want to cook these all the way though since they will cook more in the pot pie. Cook until you have a little char on the veggies.

Combine the flour and remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until smooth and bubbly like pancake batter, about 3 minutes.  Whisk in the mushroom broth and the sherry.

Simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Season to taste and remove from the heat.

Add the roasted veggies to the mushroom broth along with the peas, thyme, rosemary and sherry vinegar.  Divide the filling among six ramekins.  You can use whatever size ramekins you have in your house.

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out to maybe a 1/4″ thick.  Next, take a ramekin and turn it upside down over the dough.  Take a sharp knife and cut around the ramekin.  Repeat until you have used all the dough. Wet the rim each ramekin and lay a crust over the top.

Poke each 5 or 6 times with a fork and place in the oven. Bake in a 325 degree oven until the crust is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

 

Serve and enjoy!