Vegetarian "Chicken" Pot Pie

Faux chicken pot pie is one of the all-time most popular posts at The Chubby Vegetarian blog. This new, even more tasty version is what we often make for a vegetarian main dish at Thanksgiving. Feel free to substitute diced-up Tofurkey if you please! Either way, it will be a hit.

Vegetarian "Chicken" Pot Pie

(Serves 4)

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup organic non-hydrogenated shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
cold water

Add the flour, shortening, and salt to the bowl of a food processor and turn it on. Slowly add the cold water a teaspoon at at time until a ball forms. Stop the motor and pull the dough ball out. Place it in a covered bowl in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to rest.

For the filling:

1 pound seitan (diced)

1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons canola

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1 cup carrots (about three, diced)
1 cup green pepper (diced)
1 1/2 cup potato (peeled, diced)
1 1/2 cups green peas
1/2 cup parsley (minced)
1/2 cup shallot (diced)
1/2 cup celery (two ribs, diced)

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons champagne vinegar

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1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup stock

sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
egg wash: 1 egg and 2 tablespoons of water (beaten)

Toss diced seitan and flour together in a bowl. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the canola oil. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the seitan that has been coated in the  flour mixture. Allow it to cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Stir the pot and allow mixture to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the crispy seitan from the pot and set it aside on a paper towel to drain. Immediately add the carrots, pepper, potato, peas, parsley, shallot, celery, salt, thyme, garlic powder, and vinegar to the pot and stir.

After the vegetables have been cooking for 3-4 minutes, push the vegetables up against the wall of the pot in order to form a well in the center. Add the flour and butter to the well and whisk until they form a paste. Cook the paste, also known as a roux, another two minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Add the milk, stock, and the reserved seitan to the pot. Stir, bring to a quick boil by raising the temperature, then remove from heat.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the rested dough ball in half. Roll one half out to about 

11-12 inches so there's enough to cover the bottom of a 10-inch pie pan. Place the crust in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. The crust may puff some, but it will still be supple enough to pour the filling on top. Pour in the prepared filling. Roll the second half of the dough out to 11 inches for the lid. Place the lid on the pie. Cut off the excess and crimp the edges with your finger to seal them to the lower crust. Using kitchen shears, cut eight vents in the top of the pie. Place pie on a baking sheet in case it overflows in the oven. Cook pie 20 minutes. Brush the top with the egg wash and sprinkle on some sea salt, and bake another 10 minutes until the top crust is golden brown.