Country-Style Mushroom Pie

This pie is wonderful served after any outdoor winter activity. Better yet, the filling can be prepared ahead to fill either a double-crust pie for dinner or tart shells for appetizers.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes

Serves: 6

Tips

This recipe calls for half and half cream. You can often replace half and half cream with canned, 2% partly skimmed evaporated milk and get the same results with one fifth of the fat!
Instead of using cognac or brandy, try apple juice, pear juice, white grape juice or water.

Ingredients
Pie Shell:
Pastry for double-crust 9 in. (23 cm) pie
Mushroom Filling:
Large Ontario parsnip, peeled and diced	1
Large Ontario carrot, diced	1
Chicken broth	½ cup (125 mL)
Butter	2 Tbsp. (30 mL)
Medium Ontario onion, chopped	1
Ontario mushrooms, sliced	½ lb (250 g)
All-purpose flour	½ cup (125 mL)
Half-and-half cream	½ cup (125 mL)
Cognac or brandy	1 Tbsp (15 mL)
Salt	½ tsp (2 mL)
Ground nutmeg	¼ tsp (1 mL)
Ground pepper	¼ tsp (1 mL)

Directions

Roll out pastry and line 9 inch (23 cm) pie plate.
In saucepan, cook parsnip and carrot in chicken broth until tender; do not drain.
In nonstick skillet, melt butter on medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms; cook 5 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Reduce heat to low. Stir in flour, cream, cognac, salt, nutmeg and pepper; cook, stirring, until thickened. Stir in parsnip mixture. Cool slightly.
Turn filling into pastry-lined pie plate; arrange second crust over filling, crimping edges. Slash crust in several places for steam vents.
Bake in 425ºF (220ºC) oven 25 to 30 minutes until pastry is browned.
Cut into wedges to serve.

Variation: Fill 2 dozen small unbaked tart shells with Mushroom Filling and bake 15 to 20 minutes in 425ºF (220ºC) oven.

© – Source: Foodland Ontario, 2010.