Give me any vegetable baked into a pie and I’m there! With the few ingredients most pie crusts call for, I know that they are pretty simple when it comes down to it but this one is even easier. No rolling on the counter while meticulously making sure that your butter stays cold and and your water icy. In addition, what’s better than a well held together but flaky, crispy, option that’s healthy but suitable for your dairy and gluten free crowd on Thanksgiving? Putting all dietary needs aside, each savory slice is filling for anyone.
I decided to pair broccoli with leeks for oniony flavor because they are both fibrous and will cook evenly at the same pace. Nothing like an overcooked, soggy, water releasing onion in the oven alongside a sturdier vegetable especially in a pie. No way, don’t even think about it.
Using a combination of lighter oat flour and heavier almond meal makes the crust balanced and toasty.
Coconut oil gives buttery richness. Do note that you CAN taste a coconut flavor in this particular recipe so I might try non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening or olive oil next time just to test out alternatives. There are foods that you cannot taste the coconut oil in as I mention in this post as well as in my famous popcorn. On the positive side, this crust would be lovely for a dessert pie too.
The crust mixture presses down easily in the pie dish and I used the bottom of a measuring cup to help make it an even depth throughout.
I love the look and presentation of the pie as a whole as well as each slice.
Thanksgiving Edition: Broccoli Leek Pie (Gluten & Dairy Free!)
GF, DF
Serves 6
Crust Ingredients:
1 cup almond meal
1 cup oat flour (blend about the same amount of rolled oats to make this)
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp coconut oil in solid form (refrigerate for 10 minutes if needed)
1/4 cup cold water
Crust Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Mix all of the above ingredients in a small mixing bowl with a fork until mixture is moistened but crumbly.
Press down into a pie dish.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly brown. It may feel a little soft initially but it will crisp up as it cools and you are going to bake it again with the filling.
Filling & Cashew Cream Ingredients:
1 leek, thinly sliced (can sub 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced)
3 cups chopped broccoli (I cut my florets smaller than usual.)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup water
1/2 lemon’s juice
1/2 cup cashews (If you do not have a high powered blender, soak cashews overnight or for at least 1 hour in hot water and drain before using.)
3 tbsp nutritional yeast (can sub 1/4 cup parmesan cheese for dairy option)
1 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Filling & Cashew Cream Directions:
Heat oil over medium heat.
Add leeks and cook for 5 minutes.
Add broccoli, nutmeg, cumin, salt, and pepper, and cook covered for 15 minutes. I used a lid from a large pot which covered most of the veggies in the cast iron skillet I was using.
While that’s cooking, place cashews, corn starch, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and water in a blender and let it go until it’s creamy.
Combine the cashew cream with the broccoli leek mixture.
Spread filling in pie crust and bake on 325 degrees for 30 minutes.
