The New York Times recipe: Skillet (frying pan) vegetable pot pie

Loaded with the season’s finest offerings, this pie comes together in one skillet (frying pan) and manages to be hearty yet light. Leek provides a sweet and aromatic base, potatoes add body, fennel delivers an earthy note, and asparagus imparts crisp freshness. (You could also use broccoli or green beans.) Sour cream in the base offers a slight tang and keeps the sauce light. Be sure to chop all of your vegetables around the same size to ensure they cook evenly and are tender by the time the pastry is golden. If you like, add other seasonal vegetables like peas or fava beans in the spring, or cauliflower or Brussels sprouts in the autumn and winter. (Frozen vegetables work well, too.) When using store-bought puff pastry, thaw it in the fridge overnight. If you don’t have an ovenproof 23-25cm frying pan, simply transfer the mixture to a similar-sized round or square baking dish.

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 leek, finely chopped into 5mm pieces

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 fennel bulb, cored and finely diced into 5mm pieces (about 400g)

2 medium red-skinned potatoes, peeled and finely diced into 5mm pieces (about 400g)

16-20 asparagus spears, trimmed and sliced into 5mm pieces (about 340g)

1½ tsp salt flakes

Black pepper

2 tbsp plain flour, plus more for rolling

1 cup vegetable stock

240ml sour cream

1 bunch of chives, finely sliced (about ½ cup)

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 cup grated Gruyere (about 85g)

1 (400g) sheet puff pastry, completely thawed

1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp of water

Preparation

Step 1 Place an oven rack in the middle position, and heat oven to 230C. Line a baking tray with foil and set aside.

Step 2 Heat a 9 to 10-inch (23-25cm) ovenproof frying pan over medium high. Add the olive oil, leek, garlic and fennel, and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the potatoes, asparagus and salt, then season with black pepper and stir. Scatter with the flour and give it a quick stir to coat well. Add the stock, sour cream, chives, Dijon mustard and Gruyere, and stir until well combined. Remove from heat.

Step 3 On a lightly floured surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the pastry 2.5cm-5cm wider than the skillet. Carefully place the puff pastry over the top of the frying pan and trim any long edges, then, working quickly, tuck and fold in the edges of the pastry so it sits just inside the rim of the pan, to create a rough border. Brush the pastry with egg wash and carefully score the top with a few slits to allow air to escape during baking.

Step 4 Place the frying pan on the baking tray and transfer to the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden and bubbling around the edges. Let sit for 10 minutes before eating.

Serves 4-6

Total time: 45 minutes

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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