Vegetable & Gorgonzola Pot Pie for Two (or more)

 

Vegetable pot pie. So ordinary. Still, sometimes – especially this time of year – you just want something simple and warming. Comfort food. And if you don’t feel like having meat, but still crave something substantial for supper, something you can dig your fork into, then pot pie fills the bill. It doesn’t have to mean making crust from scratch, either. Frozen puff pastry is your friend. I always have some on hand. And vegetables. Add a little cheese, and you’re pretty much good to go.

An Ode to Gorgonzola. It’s my favorite of the blue (bleu) cheeses. The barely perceptible sweetness combines with the salty and savory. The way it melts and plays so beautifully with salads and sauces, alike. Assertive, but not too strong. To me, it’s practically the essence of comfort food, while elevating even the most humble casserole to new heights. Okay, fine. Maybe I’m going a little over the top, here.

So, let’s dig into the fridge and freezer, and see what we have to work with…

Vegetable & Gorgonzola Pot Pie for Two

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions, and separated into 3 pieces along their folds (you’re only going to use 2 of these for this dish, or you can increase the filling and sauce by 1/3 and make a third pot pie)
• Cooking spray

Vegetables:

• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1-2 medium potatoes, washed and cut into about 1/2″ pieces (for a total of about 1-1/2 cups)
• 1 small can of mushroom pieces, drained
• 1 tsp. kosher salt

Sauce:

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 2 Tbs. all purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• a pinch (or several grinds) of black pepper
• 8 oz (by weight) Gorgonzola cheese, cut or broken up into small pieces

Special Equipment:

• 2 16 oz capacity oven-safe casserole dishes
• Whisk

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400º F.

Lightly spray the casserole dishes with the cooking spray.

For the bottom crusts (we like bottom crusts), cut one of the pieces of puff pastry in half. Gently stretch each half with your fingers, and use it to line the bottom of each casserole dish. Dock the pastry pieces by poking them with a fork, all over. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden colored, remove from the oven, and set aside.

While the bottom crusts are baking, place the vegetables and potatoes into a 3 or 4 quart pot, cover with water to about an inch over the top of the vegetables. Add the salt. Cover tightly and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

Make a roux by melting the butter in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together until the mixture is bubbly. Cook the roux, whisking occasionally, for another 2-3 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring the mixture up to a simmer, whisking occasionally to keep the bottom from scorching. When the milk/flour/butter mixture (now, technically a béchamel sauce) is bubbling and has thickened, add the Gorgonzola cheese and whisk or stir until it has melted into the sauce.

Remove the sauce from the heat and combine it with the cooked vegetables.

Spoon the vegetable mixture evenly over the crusts in your two casserole dishes.

Cut the remaining piece of puff pastry into 2 pieces. Gently stretch each one out into a square that will cover the casserole dishes, and cut vents into the center of each, with a very sharp knife.

Brush the pastry all over with a bit of additional milk, and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Now, where’s that fork?