Blustery, East Coast winters make me crave warm, saucy and filling vegetable puff pies. My take on the traditional dinner or pot pie features an interchangeable combination of vegetables. Potatoes, parsnips, carrots, mushrooms, peas, pearl onions, garlic, and corn have all found their way into the pie’s filling. Blanketed with puff pastry, the vegetable pie is baked until golden brown on top and moist and tender inside.

A brief history of dinner pies

Indigenous to Northern Europe, dinner pies have been a popular since at least the 14th century. It’s no wonder. To make this easy dish, I begin with a gravy that I’ve made using a roux. I simmer the vegetables in this light gravy for 3 to 5 minutes, until warmed. I then spoon the ingredients into a pie pan or casserole, top them with puff pastry and the pan into into the oven. In less than an hour, I have a hearty dinner.

The term “pie” supposedly earned its name from its range of diverse ingredients. The late British historian Alan Davidson and others have suggested that “pie” came from “magpie.” Just as this bird collects various knickknacks to stuff into its nest, cooks gather a wide assortment of foods and sauces to load into their crusts.

Roux-based gravy for the vegetable pie

When making the gravy for my vegetable pie, I first prepare a roux. Although it sounds fancy, roux is merely equal parts fat–often butter–and flour cooked together. Roux is used to thicken and flavor sauces, soups and gravies. Because I cook the butter and flour mixture for a short period of time, 3 to 5 minutes, I make something known as a blond or light roux. Lighter in color and flavor, it complements as the vegetables in the following vegetable puff pie.

Vegetable Puff Pie

If you can’t find pearl onions, substitute 1/2 cup diced yellow onion.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 pound Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and chopped

1 small parsnip, peeled and chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas

1/2 cup pearl onions, halved

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic (or garlic powder)

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 1 1/2-quart casserole or deep-dish pie pan. Defrost 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter has begun to bubble, whisk in the flour. Stirring often, cook the ingredients for 3 to 5 minutes. When finished, the roux will have thickened and turned a dark gold in color.

Slowly add the stock, whisking continually to remove any lumps. Once the stock is fully incorporated, add the vegetables and seasonings and stir to combine. Allow the ingredients to simmer together for 5 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables have softened slightly.

Spoon the vegetable pie filling into the prepared pan. Cover the top with puff pastry.

Using a sharp knife, trim off and discard any excess pastry.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the pastry has puffed up and turned golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and serve immediately.