Tofu pot pie

Chunks of pan-fried tofu, potatoes, mushrooms, peas, carrots & leeks in a creamy finger-licking sauce, all topped with crispy puff pastry…

Little bit o’ comfort food heaven.

Recipe to follow, if anyone should request!

This recipe is wide open to your own creative interpretation. Instead of tofu, you can use chicken-style seitan, or chickpeas. You can vary the vegetables… a lot of people like celery in pot pie (I don’t, though I do like the taste of it, so I add celery seed to the sauce). Or sweetcorn, or green beans. Whatever. Just make sure all of the vegetables are cooked before putting the pie into the oven.

I used unsweetened homemade cashew milk for the non-dairy milk, but any kind will do, as long as it’s not sweetened or flavoured. I added a couple tablespoons of vegan sour cream to the sauce, because I had some in the fridge to use, but it is totally optional, as the sauce is delicious without it. If you’re not using sour cream, add a couple extra tablespoons of non-dairy milk.

There is enough sauce to our taste in the pot pie, but if you like a really saucy pot pie, either increase the sauce ingredients, or decrease the filling ingredients.

Enjoy!




Tofu pot pie

British				American
4 teaspoons		olive oil, divided		4 teaspoons
250g		tofu		9 ounces
200g		mushrooms		7 ounces
200g		potatoes		7 ounces
100g		peas		3-1/2 ounces
100g		carrots		3-1/2 ounces
3 tablespoons		vegan margarine		3 tablespoons
1 clove		garlic, minced		1 clove
1 medium		leek		1 medium
3 tablespoons		plain (all-purpose) flour		3 tablespoons
420ml		chicken-style vegetable bouillon		1-3/4 cups
2 tablespoons		non-dairy milk		2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons		vegan sour cream (optional)		2 tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon		salt		1/4 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon		freshly ground pepper		1/4 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon		celery seed		1/4 teaspoon
		puff pastry to fit baking dish

1. Start by thawing puff pastry (this will have to be done well ahead of time… check the package directions).

2. Cut tofu into 1cm (1/2-inch)  cubes. In a heavy skillet, saute tofu in 2 teaspoons olive oil until golden brown. Remove from pan into a medium-sized casserole dish.

3. Roughly chop mushrooms. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in skillet and saute mushrooms until their moisture is released and they are starting to brown (5-10 minutes). Add garlic and continue to saute for another minute.

4. While tofu & mushrooms are cooking, scrub potato (do not peel) and place into small pot of boiling water. Bring back to boil, then lower heat and simmer, covered, until potato is just tender. Remove from water and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel potato and cut into chunks. Add to casserole dish.

5. Cook peas in boiling water until tender. Cook carrot in boiling water until just tender. Add both to casserole dish.

6. When mushrooms have finished, remove from skillet into casserole dish. Trim leek and cut in half lengthwise, then slice. Heat margarine in the same skillet and cook leeks, covered, until soft, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes).

7. While leeks are cooking, heat chicken-style vegetable bouillon.

8. Preheat oven to 200C (400F).

9. Add flour to pan with leeks, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon. Continue to cook for a minute or two. Gradually add the hot bouillon to the skillet, whisking or vigorously stirring all the while, until all the bouillon is used and you have a nice smooth sauce. Add non-dairy milk, and sour cream if using (add extra milk if not using sour cream).

10. Pour sauce over vegetables in casserole dish.

11. Roll out puff pastry (if you haven’t bought ready-rolled), and cut to size of casserole dish. Top pie with pastry.

12. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until puff pastry is puffy (duh) and golden brown.

Makes four servings.