Flaky, delicious pastry, filled with sweet melt in your mouth butternut squash, deep green earthy kale & crunchy almonds. This Kale Almond Butternut Squash Pie has only 6 ingredients and the pastry can be made in minutes in a food processor!
Who doesn't love a good pie? I know I do and this Kale Almond Butternut Squash Pie turned out so well that I couldn't wait to share it with you. Between creation and typing this up I have made this pie a total of four times as I love it so much.
This is a flavour combination that I have never seen elsewhere. It is kind of very, very loosely based on the filling style of a Cornish Pasty. As I am originally from Devon and lived right on the border to Cornwall, Cornish Pasties are something I was brought up eating. This pie has none of the same ingredients (bar the pastry and onion) but just like a Cornish Pasty the raw ingredients go in as they are and steam inside the pastry case as it cooks.
The resulting filling ends up moist, sweet and delicious without any added sauce or gravy. The soft interior and the crisp, golden pastry are so good together and the almonds in this version add a delicious nutty, crunchy, texture and compliment the squash perfectly.
Making pastry for a pie crust can be pretty daunting, especially when it's vegan pastry, but please don't be put off. The pastry for this Kale Almond Butternut Squash Pie is so easy, especially if you have a food processor. If however it is something you really don't want to attempt then buy a pastry case. A lot of the ones you find in the freezers are actually 'accidentally' vegan. That way all you need worry about is the filling which is a piece of cake to throw together.
As far as pies go, this Kale Almond Butternut Squash Pie is pretty quick and easy to make and is delicious straight from the oven as well as cold. It is great served as part of a meal with gravy (perfect for Thanksgiving), served with a big salad or just simply eaten on it's own with some natural tomato ketchup...(one of my guilty pleasures)!
Recipe
Butternut Squash Kale & Almond Pie
Author:Ingredients
For the pastry
- 500g (4 cups) unbleached all purpose flour , or wholewheat flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 210g (1 cup) vegan butter or refined coconut oil , it must be hard and cold
- about 11 tablespoons iced water (see recipe note)
For the filling
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- 615g (3 heaping cups) butternut squash , cubed
- 4 large kale leaves , stems removed and chopped
- 30 raw almonds , roughly chopped
- salt
- pepper
For the glaze
- a couple of tablespoons non-dairy mik
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place your pie dish in the fridge.( I used a large pie dish measuring 25.5 cm wide and 5.7 cm deep).
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Add the flour, oil and salt to a food processor and process for a minute or two until well combined.
- Gradually add the water until you have a smooth pliable dough. Check it by feeling it.
- If you do not have a food processor then add the flour, salt and oil to a bowl and rub the oil into the flour with your fingertips until your mixture resembles bread crumbs. Gradually add the water, stirring with a knife then use hands to form into a ball.
- You do not need to refrigerate this pastry before rolling unless it is very hot in your kitchen. When it gets cold it gets very hard and difficult to roll so it is easier to do when it is at room temperature.
- Split the dough in half. Roll out one half to about 3-4 mm thick and line your pie dish. I did not blind bake my pastry as I know that my pie dish radiates the heat well and I don't tend to get soggy bottoms with dryish pie fillings but if you at all unsure I would advise blind baking. There is nothing worse than a soggy bottom!
- To blind bake line the pastry with a sheet of baking parchment ( to make it fit inside more easily screw it up into a ball then pull part before lining the pastry. Fill the pie dish and parchment paper with baking beans , rice or dried beans.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and gently lift out parchment paper and beans.
- Allow to cool.
- Fill pie with butternut squash, kale and onion then sprinkle with almonds.
- Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Roll out the remaining half of pastry.
- Brush the sides of the pie bottom with non dairy milk then lay the top gently across. Press down well around the edges and make sure it is well sealed.
- Brush the top with non-dairy milk.
- Make a small incision in the middle to let trapped air escape while cooking.
- Bake on 425°F for 40 - 50 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is soft when you insert a knife into it..
Alexia Neubauer says
Can you make this pie with frozen butternut squash? Would it go in frozen or thawed?
A Virtual Vegan says
I've never tried it, in fact I've never used frozen butternut squash. My worry would be that it would be wetter than a fresh squash would be and make the pastry soggy. You might get away with it though. I think if I were going to do it I'd put it in frozen and just add 5 to 10 minutes on the cooking time. The really cold squash will keep the pastry nice and cold and make it crisper.
Abbey says
Can you use gluten free flour instead? This looks amazing!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! I have no experience of making gluten free pastry so I can't say for sure, but I would imagine it would be fine with an all purpose gluten-free blend.
Juliana says
Have you ever had success freezing this pie?
A Virtual Vegan says
I haven't tried freezing it, but I am sure it would be fine. I have made and frozen Cornish Pasties lots of times and they are pretty similar in concept. I would freeze it raw before cooking. Put it on a baking sheet in the freezer uncovered, then once it's hard, you can remove the tray and cover it with a bag of some kind. That will ensure the pastry doesn't get damaged. Then thaw and cook as per my instructions. It could probably also be cooked straight from he freezer on a slightly lower temperature but I can't say hw long it will take. It would be a case of trial and error!
Emily Kiara says
we do not need to cook the kale, onions and squash first before placing them into the pie?
A Virtual Vegan says
No it all goes in raw. It steams itself cooked inside the pastry case and becomes all sweet, soft and delicious!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you :O) You just can't beat a good old home-made pie!