Vegetable Pie!

When we went to Oxford before Christmas, we had the most delicious savory pies in the covered market. I have been promising V. that I would make him one ever since, and yesterday I finally got around to it. It's definitely time consuming, and therefore more of a Sunday dinner, but it was well worth it in the end, and we have enough leftovers for at least another 2 meals during the week!

The crust is quite crumbly and not quite like what we had in England, but it's buttery and delicious and therefore, who cares?!

Whole Wheat Pie Crust

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) butter or vegan margarine, or a combination of both

salt

cold water

Pulse the 2 flours with the salt in the food processor.

Cut the butter into slices and pulse with the flour until combined (10-15 seconds, no longer)

Transfer to a bowl and knead with your hands, adding a little bit of water at a time, until the dough holds together.

Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Pie Filling

1/2 butternut squash

2 red potatoes

2 cups trimmed and chopped string beans

3 medium sized carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

About 2-3 cups cremini mushrooms

1 small yellow onion

3 cloves garlic

olive oil

1-2 cups white wine

3 cups vegetable broth

all purpose flour

salt

pepper

oregano

paprika

Pre-heat oven to 400F.

Cut the butternut squash and potatoes into small cubes. Toss in a bowl with olive oil and thinly sliced garlic. Spread out on a sheet pan, sprinkle with salt and bake until the squash starts to caramelize (about 30-40 minutes), then remove from oven and set aside.

In a skillet, sautee the mushrooms in olive oil, with the garlic and onions. As they cook, add a dash of white wine and some salt, pepper, oregano and paprika. When most of the liquid has cooked down, move to a bowl and set aside

In the same skillet, heat some water and cook the sliced carrots and celery until soft. Drain and set aside.

In a saucepan, heat 2-3 cups of vegetable broth, with 1/2 - 1 cup of white wine. Let it simmer and add all-purpose flour a tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly until a thick gravy forms. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Add all the vegetables, including the uncooked string beans, to the gravy.

Pre-heat oven to 375F.

Roll out the crust on a floured surface and line a 9 inch springform pan with the dough. If it breaks, patch up the cracks by pressing in excess pieces of dough. You want the crust to be well sealed.

Using a ladle, spoon the vegetable-gravy mixture into the crust. Roll out another piece of dough and cut out a 9 inch circle, using your pan. Lay it on top of the veggies and roll the sides down, pressing gently, to seal everything in.

Place the springform pan on a sheetpan, to catch any leaks.

Bake until crust starts to brown (about 45 minutes).

Do not remove the sides of the pan after baking. Cut slices and serve. It will be runny and messy and delicious!