Mini Tourtières

Made some of the best-tasting (no) meat pies in town today with TVP (soaked in "unbeef" broth, tamari and red wine) mixed with the traditional herbs and spices, grated potatoes and onion. Made into "pot pies" instead of the usual large tart, they're the perfect hearty, healthy(ish) meal for one or two this holiday season.

• Ready In: 4 hrs
• Serves: 10
• Yields: 5 pot pies

Ingredients

• Filling

• 1 2⁄3 cups  textured vegetable protein, granules
• 1 1⁄2 cups  hot vegetarian beef broth or 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 1  tablespoon tamari
• 1  teaspoon vegan worcestershire sauce
• 1⁄2 cup red wine
• 1  tablespoon canola oil or 1  tablespoon  melted vegan margarine
• 1  large sweet onion, finely grated
• 1  large russet potato, skin-on, finely grated
• 2  garlic cloves, grated
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon savory
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  celery salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1  cup hot water
• 1⁄3 cup  toasted  soy flour or 1⁄3 cup  fine cracker crumb

• For Assembly

• 1  tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with
• 1⁄4 cup cold water, for brushing
• 4 (9 inch)  pie crusts, unbaked (or enough dough)

Directions

1. Combine TVP, broth, tamari, vegan Worcestershire and wine in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onion, potato and garlic.
3. Cook about 5 minutes, until potato begins to soften and garlic is fragrant.
4. Add TVP mixture (with liquid), spices and water, stir well and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce to a low simmer and allow mixture to cook, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally (and adding a splash of water if necessary) to prevent sticking.
6. Remove from heat and add kinako or cracker crumbs. Stir well.
7. Loosely cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
8. If mixture is still "soupy", add in more kinako or crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time and stirring well after each addition, until the mixture is still "wet" but not drippingly so (especially if using kinako, which takes a few minutes to absorb liquid).
9. Cool to room temperature before using.
10. Preheat oven to 375°F.
11. Whisk together cornstarch and water, set aside.
12. Roll and cut out about ⅔ of the pie dough to fit into 5 “pot pie” pans (about 5” across and 1 ½” deep).
13. Fill the pie crusts with cooled tourtière filling.
14. Roll and cut out the remaining pie dough, top the filled pies and crimp / flute the edges to seal.
15. Trim the edges and brush with cornstarch slurry.
16. Cut a cross into the top of each crust to vent.
17. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes, or until dough is golden brown and mixture is steaming.
18. Let stand 10 minutes before digging in!