We finally had our first real snowfall of the winter in New England. I am not complaining as last year this time we were shoveling ourselves out of about 6 feet of snow.
Sure, it’s pretty to look at and I love a snow day, but those don’t happen enough to make a season full of cold toes and slippery roads worth it for me.
The past weekend I headed out to the gym and grocery store on Saturday morning. The snow was coming down just enough to make the roads slippery and the unplowed ones dangerous. I slowly stepped on the break as I was approaching an upcoming turn. My car skidded to the side as I hit a curb and the car behind me swerved enough to get around my car. I was going slow enough that there wasn’t much impact on the car or myself, but enough to still shake me up. I came way too close to an accident. My knee was shaking.
After that incident, I was “that car” holding-up traffic as I slowly drove to my destination. I decided to stick with the motto of “better safe than sorry.” Even if it made everyone behind me angry.
I finished with my errands as quickly as possible and was relieved when I finally got home, safe and sound.
I wasn’t leaving the house for the rest of the day.
This sounds like a good plan, right? Right. Except, if you know me, you know I can get stir-crazy sitting in the same place for more than 20 minutes.
I needed an activity to keep me occupied and made staying at home worth it.
This Chickpea Pot Pie with Gouda Biscuit Topping will make even the worst winter-haters (me) happy for at least a short time. The warm and hearty filling topped with a cheesy biscuit will make you forget all about the dropping temperatures and delayed commute while you savor each bite.
Chickpea Pot Pie with Gouda Biscuit Topping
by
Topping adapted from Bon Appetit
Keywords: bake saute entree soup/stew vegetarian cheese potatoes mushrooms fall winter
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 tbs. olive oil
- 1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/3 cup chopped carrots
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 tbs. whole wheat (or all purpose) flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup frozen peas
Topping
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbs. all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 6 tbs. yellow cornmeal
- 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3 tbs. chilled unsalted butter, diced
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup coarsely grated Gouda cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Begin with the filling. Heat olive oil in a large skilled over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion and potato and cook about 3-5 minutes. Add carrots, salt and thyme and cook additional 1-2 minutes. Add in garlic, chickpeas and cook about 30 seconds.
Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook 1 minute. Add in the wine and cook until evaporated, about 3-5 minutes. Add the milk, lower the heat and simmer until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in peas, salt and pepper, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 2 types of flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and butter and mix with hands until mixture resembles coarse meal (you can also do this in a food processor and blend 5 seconds or in a stand mixer on high-speed with flat burnished beater attached). Add milk and mix/pulse until dough forms moist clumps. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equal pieces (dough may be sticky; continue to minimally lightly flour surface) and shape into 2/3-inch disks size of serving bowl.
Pour filling into oven-safe serving bowls and top with biscuit crust. Top with gouda cheese and bake on baking sheet about 25-30 minutes, until tops are golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy!
~Do you get scared to drive in certain conditions?
