This is the kind of recipe I’d include in a portfolio for NYT Cooking, 177 Milk Street, or America’s Test Kitchen. Aside from the rounded flavors and textures, I love the temporally economical technique:
The pie crust blind-bakes under the pan on which the carrots are roasting!
Savory Pie…or Tart?
I ultimately decided this recipe makes a pie. Although its rustic, open structure suggests a tart, its flaky crust screams, “I’m a pie!” (Tart crusts, even savory ones, are dense like shortbread.)
Savory Vegan Sheet Pan Pie
Description
Read, then proceed. Pie crust may seem intimidating until you realize most of it is chilling and resting. Steps 1-3, 7-8, and 12 include large amounts of inactive time - and then by 14, you're done!
Ingredients
Pie Crust
Carrots
Tofu-Tahini Ricotta
Garnish
Instructions
Prepare
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Freeze “butter” and a box grater at least 4 hrs or overnight.
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Wash and dry carrots, then leave on cutting board also about 4 hrs, until room temperature.
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About 45 min before starting, measure water into a liquid measuring cup and place in freezer.
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Clear refrigerator space for rolled pie crust to lie flat. (See Step 8 for dimensions.) Measure and whisk flour and 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) kosher salt (or about half as much table salt) into a large bowl, then place in refrigerator.
You may use the recently created space for your bowl of flour and salt.
Pie Crust
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With large holes of frozen grater, grate frozen “butter” into refrigerated flour and salt. Stir with a large spatula until “butter” is thoroughly coated.
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Retrieve water from freezer. Pour 2 Tbsp (30 mL/g) into flour mixture, then lightly stir until just incorporated. Pour 1 Tbsp (15 mL/g) more water onto driest area of mixture, and again, lightly stir until just incorporated. Repeat with remaining water only as needed to pickup all flour from bottom of bowl.
Though I've made significant changes, Steps 6-8 are more or less demonstrated on the Rouxbe Cooking School's website (linked under Note). -
Tear a long, approximately 36-in (91-cm) piece of plastic wrap. Continue using spatula to mound and press dough in center of wrap, then fold both long ends of wrap about ⅔ over dough in each direction. Gently use fingertips to pinch together any cracks and stray pieces into a craggy but cohesive oval of dough. Refrigerate for 45 min.
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Keeping dough wrapped, roll into a large oval about 8 ½ in (22 cm) wide and 14 in (36 cm) long. Return to refrigerator for another 30 min. Promptly proceed to Step 9.
Carrots (& Pie Crust - cont'd)
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Meanwhile, adjust oven racks to middle and bottom positions. Preheat to 400°F/200°C.
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Cut carrots on a steep bias into roughly ½-in (1.25-cm) slices. Toss with olive oil, cumin or coriander seeds, and 3/4 tsp (3.75 mL) kosher salt, then evenly spread onto a sheet pan turning over pieces as needed so each larger cut side contacts pan.
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Retrieve dough from refrigerator. Open plastic wrap, then flip onto a second sheet pan and discard wrap. Dock dough with a fork.
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Set sheet pan with carrots on top of pan with crust. Bake stacked pans on bottom rack for 15 min, then toss carrots and move to middle rack. Continue baking both pans (now separated) for another 15 min.
Tofu-Tahini Ricotta & Finishing
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As crust and carrots bake, whip tofu, tahini, orange juice and/or vinegar, 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) kosher salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender until smooth.
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Spread whipped tofu-tahini ricotta on crust. Evenly distribute carrots, then garnish with selected herb(s). Enjoy immediately.
Note
I adapted my pie crust technique from the Rouxbe Cooking School's "Basic Pastry Dough". Starting around 2'30", Chef Dawn Thomas voices a demonstration of the mess-free rolling I loosely describe.
