Veggie Pot Pie 2008

Ever since our coming-to-manhood trip to Europe, porkbelly and I have shared a pre-New Years Eve tradition of recreating a great dish that our host/friend Joris made for us one hazy night. JB joined us this year for Joris' Veggie Pot Pie '08. It was yummy, even though I made the poor executive decision to sub fillo dough for puff pastry (Whole Foods only had bougie puff pastry from La Boulange for a disgusting price! Damn you, Whole Foods! -- oh yea, blog about that place coming soon).

Anyways, this is great stoner comfort food to keep you warm and full during the holidays. Anything you have on hand vis-a-vis vegetables, cheese, and spices will work. Just make sure you have cream cheese and puff pastry (note: the Pepperidge Farm version will only set you back like $3). I scribbled down the recipe the second time I stayed with our dear host Joris, but it is packed away somewhere in my unpacked moving boxes, so we do what we can...

Ingredients:

• one block cream cheese
• any other cheeses (we used cheddar, feta, parmesean)
  
• one zucchini
• one cup mushrooms, sliced or wedges
  
• 2 medium roma tomatoes, sliced
  
• 3 garlic cloves
  
• 1 bell pepper (did you know that in Holland they call it "paprika"?)
• one box frozen puff pastry
• sriracha sauc
• 1 egg
• a tablespoon of crushed nuts (cashews work well)
• dash of basil and oregano
  

Recipe:

• Defrost puff pastry and pre-heat oven to whatever time the puff pastry box demands.
  
• Stir-fry the vegetables (minus tomatoes) in oil and sriracha sauce.
• Flatten a couple sheets of puff pastry with a rolling pin or your hands
  
• Lay out the puff pastry on the bottom of a casserole dish or Dutch oven. Let the edges hang over the side, they will eventually fold over to make a top
  
• Throw an egg on it and spread it around
• Throw some of veggies on it
  
• Spread cream cheese throughout, add other cheeses to taste
• Add rest of veggies
• Add crushed nuts for crunch
  
• Slice tomatoes and add on top
• Sprinkle basil, oregano, salt and pepper
• Add grated parmesan cheese
  
• Pull the puff pastry edges over to cover
• Bake until the pastry puffs and starts to brown
• Cool a bit, then dig in!
  
  
  

Previous year's crispy puff pastry version

This year's fillo dough no-no

It's not the most photogenic dish, but a wonderful food memory to relive every year nonetheless. You know you love me. XoXo, Gossip Girl