Vegan Pot Pie

I normally don't make this kind of "comfort food" type thing, but I saw this recipe on this lovely blog Earth Vegan, Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes so I thought I'd give it a try. The webmistress Vaishali has a page which is devoted to laying out vegan substitutes for non-vegan items. It's seems like it would be extremely helpful, especially for someone who is borderline human/chimpanzee like me. However, I often just guess and then whine and tear up when my recipes don't work.

I haven't been reading her blog very long, but she seems genuinely talented and not nearly as clumsy and clueless as I am - so go visit her site! (But don't abandon me, I have abandonment issues).

Anywho,...the recipe. I changed a few of the ingredients, and I also used Red Mill Garbanzo Bean Flour instead of regular white flour. I've been dying to use it for something and it's a really good substitue for white flour - it cooks relatively the same and has a light, invisible flavor.

Invisible flavor. Yeah, no sense.

Garbanzo beans are also known as chickpeas and they are one of my favorite foods of all time.

Vegan Pot Pie

courtesy of the lovely Vaishali here

Crust:

2 cups garbanzo bean flour or whole wheat flour

5 tbsp vegan margarine

1/2 tsp salt

rosemary/thyme to taste

Filling:

1 lb red potatoes, cut up small

1 medium onion diced

4 cloves minced garlic

1 sweet potato, peeled, cut up small

1 package of tofu (next time I will use tempeh rather than tofu)

1/2 cup green peas
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup chardonnay wine
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp garbanzo bean or whole wheat flour (to thicken gravy)
2 tbsp vegan margarine
1 tbsp olive oil


-Next time I make this, I will definitely use tempeh instead of tofu. It will hold its shape better in the pie. Also, I think chardonnay is the best wine to give this sauce a kick. The nutritional yeast and vinegar I added give a kick too.

-First things first: make the crust. I used Earth Balance instead of shortening because I just dislike shortening immensely. Combine all the crust ingredients in a bowl and cut in the margarine. Split the dough into two sections and wrap them in plastic wrap and stick 'em in the fridge til later.

-Now get to the filling: after all the bitch work of cutting things up is done, which will take 30 years but is sort of strangely relaxing, you can start the fun part. On the stovetop cook the onions and the garlic in the olive oil until they brown. Toss in the red potatoes, rosemary, sweet potato, peas and tofu/tempeh and cook for five minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Go easy on the rosemary. A little of that shit goes a long way.

(Lovvveeee grows where my rosemary goesssss, and nobody knowwwwssssssss....but meeeee)

-Nexxxxxt: Add in the almond milk, tofu/tempeh, nutritional yeast, chardonnay, 2 tbsp of flour (to thicken gravy), apple cider vinegar, and 2 tbsp of vegan margarine. Allow this to sit with the cover over the pan for 10-12 minutes.

-Of course being the impatient 4 year old that I am, I had to check and stir this about 800 times. I feel it's better to just let it sit, if you can manage. Take it off the heat after its done, and let it sit until you're done with the crust.

-Take the crust from the fridge, or you ex-wife's vagina, whatever cold appliance you were storing it in, and roll one of the dough sections out carefully. Cover the rolling pin and counter with flour so it doesn't break (it probably will anyways if you used margarine and not shortening, like me). Line the bottom of your pie pan. Pour the contents of the filling over it.

-Next, use the other dough section to cover the filling. And it'll look like a pie, holllaaaaaa.

-I pinched the edges of the pie with a fork to make it look all fancy and professional. I like to lie to myself.

-Cook in the oven for about an hour (or a little less) and eat. Potatoes are my least favorite vegetable, so I was surprised when I really enjoyed this. It's good for a rainy day.

Or whatever you want! Sorry, jeez, I'm watching Tropic Thunder and my emotions are all confused right now. Tom Cruise is fat and bald and dancing and it's just so... hairy and fit/unfit, and greasy. Just try to forget I said that and eat the food.