Ingredients

For the cashew cream:

1 cup raw cashews
2 cups boiling water
Salt

For the dried mushrooms:

1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (see note 1)
2 cups boiling water

For the roasted vegetables:

1 medium russet potato peeled and diced
2 medium carrots peeled and diced
1 bulb celery root peeled and diced (see note 2)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the filling:

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound mushrooms broken in to pieces or halved (such as baby portobello, cremini, or button)
1 large yellow onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
4 ounces lacinato kale stemmed, leaves thinly sliced crosswise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 ½ teaspoons dried
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 ½ teaspoons dried
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine or vegetable broth or water
1 sheet puff pastry thawed (from a 16 ounce package, ½ box)

For the vegan egg wash:

1 tablespoon vegan butter melted and cooled
1 teaspoon soy milk
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup or agave nectar

Instructions:

To make the cashew cream:

In a medium bowl, add cashews and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 30 minutes. Drain well and discard soaking liquid.

In a high-speed blender, add drained cashews and ½ cup water. Blend until smooth, adding more water as needed to get a creamy consistency (I added an additional ½ cup water; I ended up with 1 ½ cups cashew cream). Season to taste with salt (I like ¼ teaspoon).

To rehydrate the dried porcinis:

In a medium bowl, add dried porcini mushrooms and boiling water. Let sit until soft and pliable, at least 10 minutes.

Transfer to a fine-mesh strainer lined with paper towel or a coffee filter. Strain liquid and reserve (discarding any grit), then finely chop the porcinis. Set aside both the strained soaking liquid (you should have about 1 ¾ cups) and the chopped porcinis (you should have about ½ cup).

To par-roast the root vegetables:

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil for easy cleanup.

In a large bowl, add potatoes, carrots, and celery root. Drizzle with oil and toss to combine. Spread evenly on prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast until the vegetables are just starting to soften, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside, reserving the prepared rimmed baking sheet.

To make the filling:

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in kale, rosemary, thyme, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until the flour is incorporated and lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the white wine, scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the reserved porcini soaking liquid and cashew cream. Cover and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the softened porcinis, par-roasted potatoes, carrots, and celery root, ¾ teaspoon salt, and any accumulated juices. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (The filling can be made a day ahead; store covered in the refrigerator. Reheat before assembling and baking the pie).

To assemble the pie:

Lightly grease a 2 ½ quart or larger baking dish. Dust a clean work surface lightly with flour. Roll out the puff pastry to the size of your baking dish with 1 inch overhang.

Transfer the filling to the prepared baking dish and cover with puff pastry. Trim any large corners, then roll in and pinch the excess pastry just inside the rim of the dish (to create an inner border).

To bake the pot pie:

To make the vegan egg wash, whisk together the melted vegan butter, soy milk, and maple syrup. Lightly brush over the top of the puff pastry, then cut 5 (2-inch) slits, about 1-2 inches apart, half way in to the puff pastry.

Set the baking dish on top of the prepared rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake until the puff pastry is golden and puffy, about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Dried mushrooms: Another dried mushroom such as Shiitake may be substituted for the porcinis.
Celery root: Substitute any root vegetables to your preference. Personally, in testing, I found that parsnips tasted too sweet, and rutabaga tasted too bitter. I enjoy the flavor of chunks of celery root though.
Yield: This recipe makes 1 large Vegan Pot Pie, at least 2 ½ quarts (10 cups), enough for 10 servings, 1 cup each.
Storage: Vegan Pot Pie is best the day it is made because puff pastry is best right out of the oven. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Make ahead: Make the filling a day ahead and store covered in the refrigerator. Reheat the filling before assembling the pie, though, as chilled filling won’t heat through in the time it takes for the puff pastry to finish cooking.

043: Vegan Pot Pie