The Reducetarian’s Veggie Potpie

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS Vegan pie pastry:

1½ cups unbleached allpurpose flour, plus more for rolling

1 teaspoon granulated sugar ½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup extra-virgin coconut oil, chilled

4to 5tablespoons unflavored, unsweetened almond milk, chilled

DIRECTIONS

Chill rolling pin and pastry cloth (or lint-free kitchen towel) in the refrigerator until ready to roll out the pastry.

Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add oil and use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the oil into the flour; the mixture should look like rolled oats. Cut, don’t mash, the oil into the flour. Sprinkle 2tablespoons of milk over the mixture and blend using a fork. Add more milk, 1tablespoon at a time and blend until the mixture comes together to form a soft ball. Don’t overmix or knead the dough. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 12to 15 minutes in the refrigerator. Spread chilled pastry cloth over your workspace and sprinkle lightly with flour. Position chilled dough in the center of the cloth and pat it into a square or circle using your hands. Roll the dough out evenly into a 12inch circle or 10by 12-inch rectangle that is ¼ inch thick.

Filling:

2tablespoons extra-virgin avocado oil 1medium onion, chopped ½ red bell pepper, chopped 1clove garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon Italian herb blend (or 1½ teaspoons dried rosemary, ¾ teaspoon each of dried oregano and thyme, and a pinch of rubbed sage) ¼ cup unflavored, unsweetened nondairy milk 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2cups vegetable broth 2cups chopped fresh or frozen mixed vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, peas, corn or Brussels sprouts

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 425degrees. Lightly oil 4 large or 6 medium-size ramekins or an 8-by-8-inch baking dish and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

In a saucepan set over medium-high heat, heat the avocado oil. Add onions and peppers and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add garlic and herb blend and cook, stirring frequently, for 3minutes. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the milk and cornstarch into a smooth paste.

Add broth to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in cornstarch paste, reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, or until liquid has thickened. Add vegetables and simmer until tender when pierced with a knife tip; 10minutes for fresh vegetables, 5to 6minutes for frozen. Meanwhile, cut out pastry rounds slightly smaller than the size of the ramekins (or an 8-by-8-inch square). Ladle vegetables and sauce into ramekins or baking dish and top with pastry. Bake for 15minutes or until pastry is browned and the filling is hot through and bubbling. Let stand for 5minutes before serving.

— From “The Reducetarian Cookbook,” edited by Brian Kateman with recipes by Pat Crocker