Mini Vegetable Pot Pies
Yield: One dozen mini pot pies | Total Time: 1 1/2 hours
Dough:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
12 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4-5 Tbsp. ice cold water (about 1/3 cup)
Filling:
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp. fresh dill, chopped
Roux:
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup whole milk
Pinch of cayenne
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Directions:
Make dough: Combine flour and salt in bowl of a large food processor and pulse until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with pea-sized pieces. With the motor running, slowly add water until dough is just formed. Transfer dough to a large ziplock bag and let refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Make filling: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until very tender, about 15 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat.
Make roux: Melt 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a large saucepan or skillet. Add flour and whisk continuously until paste forms. Add milk and bring to a boil, whisking until sauce begins to thicken. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and cook for five more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cheese, salt, cayenne, and pepper, whisking to combine. Remove from heat and pour over vegetable mixture. Add drained potatoes, scallions and dill and stir to combine.
Make pies: Plug in the mini pie maker and allow it to heat up. (See note below.) Transfer dough to a lightly floured clean work surface and roll out into a large rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Using a large round cookie cutter, cut out as many circles of dough as you can, gathering dough up and rolling out again, until you have 24 rounds. Place circles of dough in the bottom wells of the pie maker. Scoop scant 1/4 cup of the filling onto each circle of dough in the pie maker, then top each with another circle of dough to form the top. Close pie maker and cook until edges are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove pies and allow to cool. Repeat with remaining dough and filling until all pies have been cooked.
Cook’s Note: I have a Breville mini pie maker that I love, though there are numerous other options available in a wide array of prices and styles. If you don’t have a mini pie maker, simply use a 12-cup muffin tin and bake at 400° F until lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes.
