Smoky Tempeh & Polenta Potato Pie
The dietary restricted family member is sitting down at your holiday gathering, and they're not going hungry this year. Reimagining holiday staples, to create new traditions, is my specialty. The standard holiday menu we all know and love is like clockwork. After years of eating the same holiday meal, I can say with confidence that I NEED something new. Simply put, I am bored. Luckily this pie came dressed to impress! It's so good that your meat lovin' uncle, Billy Bob Jr., set down his slab of beef just to grab another slice of pie.
Chef Notes:
Personally, I believe that all savory pies should come adorned with Everything Bagel seasoning. It adds this entirely new dimension to pie that we're not accustomed to, without any added effort.
Roll your pie dough between plastic wrap, you can thank me later.
Slice the potatoes as thinly as possible. The thinner the slices are, the more they will ribbon upwards after baking.
Smoked tempeh & polenta potato pie
A5 Pate Brisee Recipe, pie dough, can be found on my Instagram @cheekygingerchef.
Smoked Tempeh
1 8oz package tempeh, 1” cubes
2 cups water
2 tablespoon molasses
1/8 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Place all ingredients in a sauce pot and simmer for 15 minutes
Remove tempeh from brine, make sure to store the brine for later use
Polenta Béchamel
4T olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1/8 tsp red chili flakes
2 bay leaves
2T GF flour
2-1/2 cup oat milk
1/2 cup polenta
2T tahini
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp curry powder
1tablespoon lemon juice
S&P to taste
Over medium heat sauté the onions with chili flakes, bay leaves, brined tempeh and S&P.
When the onions become translucent, add in the smashed garlic cloves and cook for another minute. *Make sure to add more oil to the pan if it is looking dry*
Remove crispy tempeh from the pan, and toss it in 3 tablespoons of the reserved cooking brine
Add in GF flour into the pan and stir until combined with the oil. *Cook no longer than 45 seconds. This is an olive oil based roux, you're aiming for a flour/fat paste. If it looks to be too floury and dry, add more oil.*
Slowly stream oat milk into your roux, whisking continuously to prevent lumps.
Bring the béchamel to a simmer and sprinkle in polenta, still whisking continuously.
Take off of the heat and add in the spices, tahini, crispy tempeh and lemon juice.
Set aside to cool as you slice potatoes and place your rolled out dough into a pan.
Assembly
1 large Yukon Gold potato, thinly sliced
1 sweet potato, thinly sliced
Everything Bagel Seasoning, optional
Preheat oven to 425°
Place the rolled pie dough into a 9" pie pan, crimp the edges and coat the crust edge in Everything Bagel seasoning, if desired
Fill the shell with the prepared polenta béchamel
Alternating between Yukon and sweet potato ribbons, shingle the slices on top of the polenta base.
Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Bake at 425° for 25 minutes
Drop the oven temperature to 375° and bake for another 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
Have any questions? Feel free to message me privately on Instagram, or email directly from this site!
Happy eating!
-Mason, the Cheekygingerchef