Root Vegetable Pot Pie

Good evening everyone! As fall changes to winter, there's lots of things not to love. It's dark by 5pm (thanks, daylight savings time). It's a whole lot colder and then there's...snow. There is one positive from the switching seasons; root vegetables have moved into their prime season! From potatoes to turnips, if it's a root veggie, now is the time you want to get in the kitchen. While the globalization of the food industry means you can have root vegetables all year round, you'll likely never find them any better than they will be over the next few months.

If you decide to cook up some root vegetables, the next decision you'll need to make is which veggie to choose? Potatoes are a solid staple, as are carrots. You can change things up a bit by using rutabagas, turnips or parsnips as well - but we say, why limit yourself to one? The great perk about root vegetables is that they all compliment each other beautifully in any dish - so why keep them separate?

Enter tonight's recipe. Inspired by the standard chicken pot pie, this dish switches chicken for root vegetables and the result is one tasty late fall treat.

The Recipe: Root Vegetable Pot Pie

What You'll Need:

4 Large Russet Potatoes (Peeled, diced)
3 Large Carrots  (Peeled, diced)
4 Large Parsnips (Peeled, diced)
4 Cups Vegetable Broth
1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Sheet Puff Pastry

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Grease a 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray and add the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until well combined. Place the baking dish into the center of the oven and allow the vegetables to roast for 40 minutes.

While the veggies roast, you can prepare the sauce. In a large stock pot, add the vegetable broth and set over medium high heat. Bring the broth to  a light simmer before slowly whisking the heavy cream into the mixture. Once well blended, bring the mixture to a simmer once more before whisking in the flour. Stir until well blended and bring the mixture to a simmer one final time before removing from heat and setting the pot aside.

Shortly before your veggies are done with the initial roast, place your puff pasty on a lightly floured countertop and work it flat until it is approximately the same size as your baking dish.

After 40 minutes, remove the vegetables from the oven and slowly pour the sauce mixture over the vegetables. Carefully top the dish with the puff pastry and press around the edges to create a seal. Return the dish to the oven and let it bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

The Results:

There's few things that can compete with slow roasted root vegetables. Topped with the savory sauce (which simulates traditional pot pie sauce quite nicely) and the flaky crust, you'll hardly notice this isn't a standard chicken pot pie. It's a bit time intensive, but the end result makes for one great weekend meal the whole family is sure to enjoy!