I love that summer inspires an abundance of fresh, often raw foods, but many of us crave warmer, more comforting foods from time to time--whatever the heat index may be. After weeks of lightly steamed veggies on a modest bed of grains, I felt like changing the pace and trying something completely new.
After some brainstorming, I was inspired to make a vegan version of the traditional Cornish pasty. A pasty (a word I will never tire of saying) is a baked pastry typically filled with meats and vegetables. It's like a warm sandwich that's baked together in one tidy package. In fact, the pasty's tidiness (and heartiness) gave rise to its popularity among Cornish tin miners who would often eat pasties while working in the mines.
One popular version of the pasty was crimped on one side. It is believed that the miners would hold the crimped edge while eating the pasty and then discard the edge so that they didn't consume the dirt from their fingers, which may have contained traces of arsenic. (Yikes.) According to a Cornish recipe book published in 1929, however, the "true" Cornish way to consume a pasty is to devour it from end to end. Your choice.
Interestingly, the pasty's history predates its popularity among Cornish miners. One can find recipes for pasties in Old French dating back to ca. 1300! Alas, this recipe for a Vegan Tofu Veggie Pasty is far from traditional, but it's so satisfying that I promise you won't care!
YIELDS
4 servings
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- For the dough:
- 2/3 cup coconut oil (scoopable--not liquid)
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry dough or unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3-6 tablespoons ice cold water
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- For the filling:
- 3 teaspoons, divided coconut oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup carrots, diced
- 1/2 bell pepper (red, orange, or yellow), diced
- small handful baby bella mushrooms, diced
- 1 cup extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into small squares
- For the sauce (which is part of the filling):
- 2 tablespoons miso paste
- 1 teaspoon tamari or liquid aminos
- 2 tablespoons rice or apple cider vinegar
- dash of chipotle pepper
Directions
1. Prepare the pastry dough. I followed this basic recipe from Minimalist Baker that's never failed me (ingredients listed above), but feel free to follow another recipe for dough or a premade vegan dough. Shape into four circular pieces. Set aside.
2. On the lowest heat setting, sauté onion, bell pepper, carrots, and garlic for 15 minutes in 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. This caramelizes and sweetens the vegetables. Remove from heat.
3. In the same (now empty) skillet, sauté mushrooms on lowest heat setting in 1 teaspoon of coconut oil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. While you're cooking the other veggies or after they've finished cooking, sauté tofu squares in 1 teaspoon of oil until the edges are golden (about 10 minutes).
5. Prepare the sauce by blending all of the sauce ingredients until smooth.
6. Combine sauce, tofu, and sautéed veggies in a large bowl. Toss until the tofu and veggies are evenly coated with sauce.
7. Preheat the oven to 400°F. On each circle of dough, place a generous scoop of filling to one side of the center (as shown in photo below). On the side of the dough where the filling sits, use your finger dipped in water to wet the edge (this will act like glue). Take the other side and carefully fold over the filling, pressing the edges together until you have a nice seal. (There may be leftover filling.)
8. Bake on a non-greased baking sheet for 15-17 minutes or until the dough is golden on the edges. Serve and enjoy!
2. On the lowest heat setting, sauté onion, bell pepper, carrots, and garlic for 15 minutes in 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. This caramelizes and sweetens the vegetables. Remove from heat.
3. In the same (now empty) skillet, sauté mushrooms on lowest heat setting in 1 teaspoon of coconut oil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. While you're cooking the other veggies or after they've finished cooking, sauté tofu squares in 1 teaspoon of oil until the edges are golden (about 10 minutes).
5. Prepare the sauce by blending all of the sauce ingredients until smooth.
6. Combine sauce, tofu, and sautéed veggies in a large bowl. Toss until the tofu and veggies are evenly coated with sauce.
7. Preheat the oven to 400°F. On each circle of dough, place a generous scoop of filling to one side of the center (as shown in photo below). On the side of the dough where the filling sits, use your finger dipped in water to wet the edge (this will act like glue). Take the other side and carefully fold over the filling, pressing the edges together until you have a nice seal. (There may be leftover filling.)
8. Bake on a non-greased baking sheet for 15-17 minutes or until the dough is golden on the edges. Serve and enjoy!
Related: Irish Vegetable Boxty
Fennel Mushroom and Kale Sandwich
Pan Fried Tofu And Kimchi Sandwich With Avocado Aioli
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Photos: Wikimedia Commons; Mary Hood Luttrell
