5cupsThree Trees Almond Milk or full fat oat milksee notes*
3tbspvegan butterdivided
3garlic cloves
1tspkosher salt
1mediumyellow onion
β tspground nutmeg
β tspblack pepper
Feta + Chive Sauce
2tbspnutritional yeast
2 tsplight miso paste
4ozvegan feta
ΒΌtspblack pepper
ΒΌtspkosher salt
2tbspfresh chiveschopped
Instructions
Make the Pie Dough
Start by cutting the vegan butter sticks into small cubes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Next, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Whisk to combine and then add the cold butter cubes.
Rub the flour and butter together between your hands, and stop mixing when a shaggy dough appears with a few chunky pieces of butter remaining in pea and almond sized shapes.
Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the cold water. Start with 6 tbsp and add another if needed. Mix for just long enough to bring the dough together into a crumbly mixture (it doesn't need to stick together yet) and then turn it out on to a lightly floured countertop.
Gently knead the dough just long enough to bring it together and then stop. You don't want to over-work the dough at this point or the crust won't be tender and flakey. Shape the pie dough into a ball, working quickly so that the butter doesn't get too soft.
Cut the ball into 2 pieces. Form each piece into disks and then wrap tightly with cling wrap. Refrigerate both disks of dough for at least 1-2 hours.
Make the Filling
Thinly slice the potatoes and onion and set them aside. I use a mandolin like this one for slicing the potatoes into thin medallions. Then crush the garlic and add it to a saucepan along with the almond milk*, 2 tbsp of vegan butter, and 1 tsp of kosher salt.
Ok here's the part where I'm going to describe how to roll out the pastry dough, but let me tell you, it sounds harder than it is. Rolling out pie dough is the pretty much just the adult version of playing with Play-Doh, and at the end of the day, all you're doing is taking a ball of dough and rolling it flat, so keep that in mind while you're reading some of these very detailed instructions π
Lightly flour the the countertop and your rolling pin, and then break the first disk of pie dough into 4 pieces. Stack the pieces on top of each other, then gently press down to create a new disk. This stacking method helps create flakey layers!Β Then place the rolling pin in the middle of the disk and roll forward, backward, to the side and then to the other side. Then rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat.Β Tip:Β Flip the dough over every fourth rotation to prevent sticking, and sprinkle with a light dusting of flour as needed throughout the process.
Roll the dough to 3-5mm and then use a 12 inch round bowl or pan as a guide and cut out a 12 inch circle. This will be the bottom crust of the Pithivier, so transfer the disk to a cookie sheet and chill in the fridge while you roll out the remaining dough for the top piece.Repeat the same process but cut it into a 14 inch disk, and then chill it for 15 minutes.
Assemble + Decorate
Arrange the chilled potatoes on top of the 12 inch pastry disk. Pile the potatoes higher in the center so the Pithivier will have a nice dome shape. Leave a 1 inch border around the edge. Top with the chilled onions and sprinkle with nutmeg and black pepper.
Place the 14 inch pastry disk on top and press the edges together. Then use your fingers to create a scalloped design around the edges. Next, use the tip of sharp knife to score curved lines, starting from the center of the dome and tracing down to the crust. Be careful not to cut all the way through.Finish by cutting a small hole in the center for ventilation and then chill one more time for 10 minutes.
Bake
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Then brush 1 tbsp of almond milk all over the unbaked Pithivier and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until well browned.
Remove the Potato Pithiver from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Then serve with lots of the Feta + Chive Sauce on top and sprinkle with extra chives and black pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
What kind of plant milk is best for this recipe?
I recommend using Three Trees Almond Milk or something similar for this recipe. This post is not sponsored by Three Trees, but I think it's the creamiest almond milk I've come across and it works well for this recipe. Especially since the almond milk used to cook the potatoes is then turned into a rich, cheesy sauce, using the creamiest plant milk you can find is key.Full fat oat milk or soy milk would be a good alternative, over using thinner almond milk varieties.
How to make the sauce thicker
If you'd like the sauce to thicken up a little more. Dissolve 3 tbsp of cornstarch into a 3 tbsp of almond milk. Whisk to dissolve completely, then add it to the sauce. Bring to soft boil, then lower the heat and simmer until thickened. Whisk often to prevent lumps.Β