Happy new year! I thought I’d go in a different direction than starting out the year with a diet meal. I’m still working on my Indian cooking and came across this recipe in a Vegetarian Times magazine for a samosa-type casserole. Instead of fried pockets of dough filled with potatoes, veggies and spices, you baked it in a whole-wheat crust. You can make this vegan by replacing the honey with sugar. Flavorful, a bit spicy and low in calories and fat—well I guess I did a diet food after all!
Go to Vegetarianized.com for more pictures of this recipe, nutrition and price information, plus other recipes. Or, check back each Monday for a new tasty dish.
Adapted from a recipe in Vegetarian Times January 2010
Servings: 6
Time: About 30 minutes active; 1.5 hours total
For the crust:
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold butter, preferably plant-based
For the filling:
1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
3–5 medium potatoes (1 ¼ lb.), quartered
1/2 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, halved and chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon mustard seeds, yellow or black
2 teaspoons ginger, preferably freshly grated
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/8 teaspoon if you prefer less spicy
1 1/2 cup peas
1 cup vegetable broth
2 teaspoons honey or sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon soy milk
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To make the crust, pulse flours, salt and butter in a food processor. Add 6–10 tablespoons cold water slowly and pulse until dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead to form a ball. Cover with a damp towel and set aside.
2. To make the filling, bring pot of water to boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and quartered potatoes. Cook 15 minutes, drain and mash leaving some chunks. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes until carrots begin to soften. Meanwhile, mix mustard seeds, ginger, curry, coriander, cumin and pepper flakes in a small bowl. Make a well in the center of the skillet and add spices. Toast for 30 seconds and then mix into the vegetables. Stir in peas and vegetable broth. Remove from heat and mix in mashed potatoes, honey and black pepper.
4. On a floured surface roll dough into a 11″ circle. Pour vegetable mixture into a cooking spray sprayed 9″ pie pan. Cover with dough and make an ‘X’ in the center for a vent. Brush with soymilk. Slide onto a baking sheet and cook for 40–50 minutes until crust is golden. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Writer Bio: Adrienne D. Capps loves food AND is a vegetarian! These things are not mutually exclusive in her world. She is passionate about eating, drinking, cooking, teaching, reading about food and growing food. Her goal with her food blog, Vegetarianized.com, is to open up the world of vegetarian cooking and eating to the veg-friendly and the veg-curious in an accessible way. She promises never to try to convert or make you feel guilty—just that eating less meat can be part of a healthy, fun, and, above all, tasty lifestyle.
