With a filling of roasted mushrooms, black lentils, chestnuts, and mushroom duxelles, this completely vegetarian mince pie dish is ideal for a holiday feast. Inspired by British-reared meat pies, this striking savory pastry has a completely vegetarian filling of roasted kale, mushrooms, and chestnuts.
This vegetarian mince pie has a light, flaky crust that is sturdy enough to support the bounty within. Chestnuts provide a rich nuttiness and gratifying texture to the umami-forward interior, which consists of chopped and macerated raisins that give a hint of sweetness to the duxelles (a mixture of finely chopped mushrooms, shallots, and herbs, here fortified with lentils).
If you enjoy projects, this recipe is ideal for you because it requires a lot of prep work but yields great results:
What is a mince pie?
Mince pie is a beloved British Christmas food. Traditionally, small, double-crusted pies are prepared with a mincemeat filling of beef suet and finely chopped dried fruit and nuts. This large, savory, vegetarian mince pie pays tribute to those mince pies in its architecture, transforming the holiday treat into a stunning main-course centerpiece.
What should I serve with this recipe?
This vegetarian centerpiece can hold its own against a variety of side dishes on a Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday table, but would also be delicious simply paired with a green salad with a bright, acidic dressing.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
Roast the shallots and shiitake mushrooms until slightly undercooked, followed by the kale, for the most intense umami flavor. Theilen suggests Tuscanini Italian Chestnuts, which come pre-peeled, for the chestnuts. (Keep in mind that each pack holds 3.5 ounces, so make sure you buy enough to fulfill the recipe’s 5-ounce need.)
To avoid breaking the crust, carve the pie using a serrated knife. Think of pot pie (loose filling)—there’s nothing holding the contents together, so as they’re cut, everything just falls out. Allow the pie to cool for a neater cut; it slices beautifully when chilled.
Suggested pairing
Our wine editor recommends an old-school, lightly oaky Rioja, such as an older vintage of R. López de Heredia Viña Cubillo Crianza to pair with earthy mince pie.
Make ahead
To make a day of serving easier, you can prepare the crust and fillings the day before and refrigerate everything overnight, then assemble the day off and bake. The baked pie can be covered and stored in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Warm in a 350°F oven until heated through. The pie dough can be stored, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, in a freezer for up to 6 months; thaw overnight in a refrigerator before using.
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 11 1/4 ounces), plus more for rolling
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter (preferably Kerrygold)
- 1Â egg yolk
- 1/2 cup whole milk, plus more as needed
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoons water
-
Mushroom Duxelles
- 2/3 cup dried green du Puy lentils or black lentils
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 4 (8-ounce) packages of whole fresh button mushrooms, stems trimmed
- 6Â tablespoons (3Â ounces)Â unsalted butter
- 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, finely chopped (2 cups)
- 1 3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
- 2/3 cup dry red wine
- 1 tablespoons brandy
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
-
Roasted Mushrooms
- 1 pound shallots, chopped
- 3 (3 1/2-ounce) packages of whole fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
- 5 tablespoons canola oil or neutral cooking oil, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 2 (5 3/4-ounce) bunches lacinato kale, stemmed and torn into 1-inch pieces
- 1 (5-ounce) package of peeled chestnuts (such as Tuscanini Italian Chestnuts), sliced (about 1 cup)
Directions
- Prepare the crust: In a large basin, whisk together flour and salt. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until butter pieces are the size of small peas. Pour the egg yolk into a liquid measuring cup and top with milk, adding extra to make exactly 2/3 cup, if necessary. Mix until well blended. After dividing the egg-milk mixture into two tablespoons, set it aside. Mix the flour mixture with the remaining egg-milk mixture, stirring just until incorporated.
- When squeezed, the dough should clump. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the egg-milk combination if the dough is too dry.) Split the dough into one 13-ounce and one 9-ounce portion. Shape each part into a disk that is one inch thick. Refrigerate for one hour or for up to two days after wrapping each disk in plastic wrap.
- Prepare the duxelles of mushroom: Over high heat, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add lentils and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 15 minutes, or until just tender. Once drained, reserve lentils. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup boiling water with the raisins; let stand until cold, about 30 minutes. Remove and dispose of water. Chop the raisins coarsely and reserve.
- Process button mushrooms in a food processor in six batches, pulsing for six to eight pulses, or until the mushrooms are the size of small peas. (Or, manually chop the mushrooms.) Put aside. In a 14-inch skillet that is very large, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the leek, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the leeks are tender and brilliant green. Add the chopped button mushrooms, flour, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms wilt and release liquid. Turn down the heat to medium. Stir in the wine, brandy, nutmeg, and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the liquid reduces, thickens, and sticks to the mushrooms. Take off the heat. Add the cooked lentils, chopped raisins, and the last teaspoon of oil.
- Prepare the roasted mushrooms by Start by preheating the oven to 425°F and place a large baking sheet inside. In a large heatproof bowl, toss together shallots, shiitakes, 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Take the hot baking sheet out of the oven and equally distribute the shiitake mixture over the pan. Place the pan back into the preheated oven and roast the mushrooms for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are browned and crisp around the edges. Take out of the oven (do not shut it off); put the shiitake mixture back in the bowl. Place the kale on the baking sheet and toss in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Apply oil evenly to the kale by massaging it. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crispy and dry. Toss in the kale and shiitake mixture in a bowl.
- Take the dough out of the fridge and allow it to stand for 20 minutes at room temperature. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger ball of dough into a 15-inch round. Press the circle into the bottom and up the sides of an 8-inch springform pan, leaving any overhang intact. Cover and refrigerate for approximately 10 minutes, or until cold. The smaller disk should be rolled out to a 9-inch circle and then transferred to a baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Smooth the top of the cold pie crust after spooning the cooled mushroom duxelles into it. Evenly scatter the roasted mushroom mixture on top. Place a 9-inch round of dough over the filling; trim off the excess to 1/4 inch. Roll and crimp the dough edges under, then press them together to seal. Make eight 2-inch incisions on the pie’s top. In a separate dish, whisk together the beaten egg and 1 tablespoon of water; brush over the crust.
Pie should be baked for one hour and fifteen minutes at 350°F, on the rimmed baking sheet, or until the crust is deeply golden brown. (If necessary, tent pie edges with aluminum foil to keep from over-browning.) After taking the pie out of the oven, let it cool for at least 20 minutes or up to 4 hours. After taking off the springform ring, transport the pie on a cake plate.
