Pie Party: Veggie Pot Pie!

Hi Everybody,

 It's a very rainy Monday here in DR, perfect to stay in and cook something delicious and warming. Also perfect to work on two of the years hottest food trends VEGETABLES and PIE! I think it's the first time veggies are the IT item and it was about time. And forget the cupcake fever cause pies are taking over this year, either savory or sweet pies are oooohh so in.

That means today we are making a delicious Veggie Pot Pie!  

This is my  own recipe, and I loved the reaction I got from my family, specially from my dad that kept coming back into the kitchen while I made it, eating almost all the filling and was eating it cold the morning after! And my granny too who called me to tell me that was the most delicious thing she had had in a long time! So here it goes.

Crust
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter cubed

1/4 cup ice water (using as much as needed)

Pre heat oven to 325F.
Make the crust dough first so you can let it rest inside the refrigerator for 20 mins before rolling it out.
In a bowl get the flour, salt, cubed butter and mix together fast until it looks crumbly. Don't use the palm of your hands; they are warm and make the butter melt faster. Add the water slowly until dough comes together. You don't want it too dry or too wet, you are looking for the perfect dough to roll out.
Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator. Let rest.
Prepare a 8 inch pie plate rubbing butter and flouring it eliminating any excess.
Sprinkle flour over the space where you are going to work and roll out the dough.  Cover the pie plate with the dough, and cut the sides excess and save for top layer. Cover the pie with parchment paper and put dry beans so the crust doesn't rise. Par bake the crust for 15- 20 minutes.

Filling
1 medium onion, medium dice
2 garlic cloves, choped
1 medium carrot, medium dice
1 stalk of celery and leaves, small dice
A handful of green beans, cut in quarters
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 cup corn
1 medium potato, small dice
1 cup of dry shiitake mushrooms , hydrated (reserve water)
1/4 cup of milk
**
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 tablespoon of flour

In a saute pan, melt a tablespoon of butter and saute onions until translucent; then add garlic, cook for a minute. Continue to add the potatoes, let cook for 2 minutes then add carrots again let cook for 2 more minutes and continue adding  mushrooms, celery, green beans, green peas and corn with 1/2 a minute in between adding every vegetable and seasoning with salt every time. *
Now let's make a roux, which is going to be our thickening agent. In the same saute pan where you have the veggies, melt a tablespoon of butter then add all the flour and mix very well and fast. This is going to make a paste, cook until flour doesn't taste grainy.
Add the milk and 1/2 cup of the mushroom water and season with salt and pepper. The filling should look creamy and not too thick
Now your filling is ready. Pour the filling into the par cooked pie crust. Roll out a top layer for the pie and make a X so steam can come out while cooking.
Bake for 25- 30 minutes.

*When cooking don't season at the end: it's ideal to season every time an item is added to what ever you are cooking.

This veggie pie is  truly delicious and easy to make. You can add your favorite vegetables or even stick to basic ones if you are in a hurry.
Hope you all make it and enjoy it.

'till next time
Fran