The Estate Bakery
Very Veggie Pot Pie with Cheesy Drop Biscuit Crust
The Strategy:
Taking the time to build a rich, savory vegetable filling beneath a golden, cheddar-flecked biscuit crust makes this pot pie the ultimate comfort food project. The secret lies in simmering the root vegetables slowly to coax out their natural sweetness before baking them to bubbling perfection. This beautiful, rustic pie is a stunning centerpiece that turns a simple dinner into a special, memory-making occasion.
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 large yellow onions, peeled and diced, about 2 cups
- 4 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed and diced, about 2 cups
- 2 medium turnips, peeled and diced, about 2 cups
- 3 medium celery ribs, sliced, about 1 cup
- ½ medium butternut squash, peeled and diced, about 1 cup
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dry sherry
- 2 cups homemade chicken stock, or low sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup whipping cream
- ¼ pound fresh shelled peas, about 1 cup (you can substitute with thawed, frozen peas)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- vegetable oil spray, for coating the baking dish
Topping
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons butter, chilled, cut into pieces
- 4 ounces Swiss cheese, grated
- 1 to 1½ cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions, carrots, turnips, celery and butternut squash to the pot.
- Cook until the veggies begin to soften, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
- Season with some of the salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the veggies with ½ cup flour and stir.
- Stir in the sherry and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the broth and whipping cream.
- Simmer until the broth is quite thick, like the texture of gravy.
- Stir in the peas and parsley.
- Season with herbes de Provence and nutmeg. If your sauce is too thick, you can add more broth. If it is too thin, you can add a bit of flour combined with a bit of butter (beurre manié) to the sauce.
- Turn off the heat.
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Place 2 ¼ cups flour into the bowl of a food processor.
- Add the baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Pulse to combine.
- Add 6 tablespoons cold butter and pulse to form crumbs.
- Add the cheese and pulse. With the blade running, pour in 1 cup buttermilk until the dough just comes together. You can add more buttermilk if you need to. The dough should be very wet.
- Pour the veggies into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish that has been coated with vegetable oil spray. Use a large spoon to drop the dough onto the veggies.
- Bake until the biscuit-like topping is crusty and golden brown, and the veggies are bubbling, about 25 to 30 minutes.
The Heart of the Table
There is nothing quite like the sight of a golden, bubbling pot pie coming out of the oven to make a dining room feel instantly cozy. As the steam carries the scent of melted Swiss cheese and savory herbs across the room, it acts as a warm invitation for everyone to gather close. This dish represents the heart of home cooking, wrapping guests in comfort and prompting relaxed, lingering conversation.
The Art of the Host
- a seamless, high-heat resistant silicone spatula in a soft slate grey
- a pair of professional-grade stainless steel locking kitchen tongs
- a flexible stainless steel slotted turner with a walnut handle
- a 7-quart enameled cast-iron Dutch oven with dual helper handles
- a teardrop weighted stainless steel bar spoon with a twisted stem
- a solid copper balloon whisk to perfectly aerate ingredients
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Place the baking dish on a rustic wooden board in the center of the table, letting the golden-brown biscuit peaks stand out against the bubbling, colorful filling below.
- THE POUR: A glass of crisp, dry Chenin Blanc or a cold, artisanal apple cider to cut through the rich creaminess of the pot pie.
- THE VIBE: Sunlit Dining Alcove: The gentle afternoon light filters through the windows, creating a bright and airy atmosphere that invites slow-paced, cheerful chatter.