Vegetarian Pot Pie

When I made this, I used the seitan pot pie recipe from the Veganomicon cookbook, but made a bunch of adjustments to it (eliminating the setian, for starters).  I prepared mine with both a top and a bottom crust, but you can just use a top crust if you want to save time.  Also, I prepared my crust dough in a food processor, because it's so much easier than mixing it by hand.  If you don't have a food processor, you can do this the old fashioned way by combining your dry ingredients, blending in the shortening with a pastry cutter, fork or 2 knives, and then adding the water to until it forms a ball.

Vegetarian Pot Pie

Crust
4 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 to 1 1/2 cups ice cold water

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder in a large food processor.  Add the shortening, and pulse until it is combined, and the mixture is crumbly.

Drizzle the cold water over the dough while processing, adding as much water as needed until the dough clumps together and forms a ball of firm dough.  Remove the dough, gather it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it chill in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Filling
3 Tbsp grapeseed oil (olive oil is fine for a substitute)
1/3 cup flour
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper

Heat the grapeseed oil in a large skillet.  Add the flour, and whisk for several minutes, until the roux is light brown and bubbly.  Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes.  Add the carrot, celery and potatoes, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are softened.

Whisk in the vegetable broth and thyme.  Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, until it boils and thickens.  Stir in peas.  Reduce heat to low.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Let the filling set while you prepare the crust.

Assembly
Preheat oven to 375.

Grease a 3-quart baking dish, or a 9 x 11 dish; set aside.
Remove crust dough from the refrigerator, and divide in half.  On a floured surface, roll one half of the dough to fit the prepared baking dish.  Gently ease the pastry into the dish, leaving about an inch of overhang.  Pour the filling into the bottom crust.  Roll out the remaining dough to fit the top of the dish, again leaving about an inch of extra room.  Place the dough on top of the filling, and gently fold the excess dough from the bottom crust over the edge of the top crust.  Flute the edges with your fingers, or press with fork tines to seal.  Cut several slits in the top crust.

Bake at 375 for 40 to 45 minutes.  If you notice the crust is getting too brown, cover with foil for the remainder of the baking time.  

Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.  Dig in!