Mushroom Pot Pie
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 65 mins
Rest Time: 5 mins
Total: 90 mins
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds (680g) mixed fresh mushrooms, such as cremini, portobello, shiitake
3 tablespoons (45 ml) neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil
2 1/2 cups (600ml) water
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (1/2 cup; 14g), rinsed and drained
1/4 cup unsalted butter (2 ounces; 56g)
1 cup frozen pearl onions (5 ounces; 140g), thawed
2 large carrots (12 ounces; 340g total), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups cut)
1 medium parsnip (5 ounces;140g) peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup cut)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon white miso
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 cups (360ml) whole milk
One 9 1/2 x 9-inch sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (such as Pepperidge Farm or Dufour)
1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon of water
Directions:
Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 425°F (220â). If using shiitake mushrooms, remove and discard stems; for portobello and cremini mushrooms, remove and reserve stems, discarding any woody stems. Cut shiitake and portobello mushrooms into 1/2-inch pieces. Halve cremini mushrooms or quarter if larger than 1 1/2 inches wide.
In a medium bowl, toss mushrooms with oil until coated. Evenly divide between 2 large rimmed baking sheets and spread into an even layer. Roast mushrooms, rotating pans top to bottom halfway through, until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 2 1/2 cups water, porcini mushrooms, and reserved cremini and portobello mushroom stems to a boil; reduce heat to medium, simmer mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the mushroom mixture into a blender. Secure the lid on the blender, and remove the center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over the opening, then process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes; set aside.
In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat, add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add carrots and parsnips and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots and parsnips are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, miso, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over the vegetable mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until flour is lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
Gradually stir in blended mushroom mixture and milk until combined. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in roasted mushrooms; set aside.
Working on a lightly floured work surface, roll the puff pastry sheet into an 11-inch square. Carefully place on top of hot mushroom filling; fold excess dough underneath itself and crimp as desired just below rim of skillet so itâs flush with the skilletâs edge. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the dough with egg wash.
Using a paring knife, lightly score the entire surface of the pastry in a diagonal crosshatch pattern. Make sure not to cut all the way through the dough. Cut five 1/4-inch wide steam vents into the dough, spread out evenly over the pie.
Place the skillet on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 425°F (220â) on the lower-middle rack until pastry is puffed and golden and sauce is bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes:
Four Techniques for Vegetarian Pot-Pie Success:
Pick up some store-bought puff pastry. While you can certainly use a homemade crust if youâd like, we opted for store-bought puff pastry for this mushroom pot pie. We went this route because we wanted to keep this recipe easy enough for a weeknight meal, and also because we feel that if you use an all-butter frozen puff pastry, such as Dufour, the results will still be excellent. Not only is this much quicker and easier, it also gives you a beautifully crispy, buttery topping that complements the creamy filling.
Use a variety of fresh mushrooms. This recipe calls for mixed fresh mushrooms, such as cremini, portobello, and shiitake. And while you certainly could make it with basic button mushrooms, using some of the mushrooms listed here gives the final dish an earthy, umami intensity that makes it really special. Using a variety of mushrooms also plays into our chicken-free strategy, providing a variety of textures and flavors similar to the way chicken does with its silky thigh meat, tender breast meat, and melting gelatin.
While white button, cremini, and portobello are technically variants of the same mushroom, they have different textures and intensities of flavor: White buttons are the mildest, so we skip them here, while creminis are tender and juicy with a deep savory flavor, and portobellos are larger and meatier. Shiitakes have a profound umami and a silky texture when cooked. The mushrooms we suggested here also all hold their shape well after cooking and arenât prone to getting mushy or slimy. In addition to shiitake, cremini, and portobello, feel free to round out the mixture with other meaty and flavorful mushroom varieties you find at the market.
Pump up the mushroom flavor with dried porcini. To keep this pot pie vegetarian and to enhance the mushroom flavor, Renu makes a quick stock with dried porcini and stems from the fresh mushrooms that gets blended with milk and stirred into the filling mixture to amplify the flavor of the mushrooms and form a rich, creamy base.
This is a smart move that pays dividends: Instead of creating a mushroom broth that has had the solids strained out, she uses the natural fiber from the mushrooms to thicken the sauce when blended, building even more textural richness into the pot pie mixture while infusing every drop with deep mushroom flavor. âUsing mushroom stems and blending them with porcini mushrooms creates the most pleasantly potent mushroom-flavored sauce,â Renu explains. âThis sauce is the bones of the dish and possibly the hero without the cape!â
Stir in some miso paste. The umami is deepened with white miso pasteâanother great vegetarian flavor booster. âThe white miso adds a savoriness that doesnât compete with mushrooms but stays pleasantly in the background,â Renu says.
Ramekin Variation for Individual Pot Pies:
Serves: 6 (serving size: 1 ramekin)
Prep: 20 min. Cook: 55 min. Rest: 5 min. Total: 1 hour, 20 min.
Directions:
Prepare steps 1-4 as directed.
Divide filling evenly between six (8-ounce) ramekins (about 3/4 cup each); set aside. Working on a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry sheet into a 12-inch square. Cut six 5-inch circles. Place each pastry circle on top of hot mushroom filling in ramekins; fold excess dough under itself and crimp as desired just below the rim of the ramekin.
Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of each pastry with egg wash. Using a paring knife, lightly score the top of the pastry in a crosshatch pattern. Using the tip of the paring knife, cut three 1/4-inch holes on top to allow steam to escape while baking.
Place ramekins on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 425°F in the lower third until the pastry is puffed and golden and the sauce is bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Make-Ahead and Storage:
The filling can be prepared through step 4 up to 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight non-reactive container in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before heating through and topping with crust. If the mixture is too thick, add water, one tablespoon at a time, to loosen.
Store leftover pot pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 400°F(200°C) until filling is bubbly and heated through and the top is crispy. (For a crispier topping, you can store the pastry âlidâ separately from the filling, then reheat the filling before topping with pastry and continue to warm until the top is re-crisped.)
Recipe courtesy of Serious Eats.com
