Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeds discarded and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups total)
2 cups vegetable stock
1 (14-ounce) sheet puff pastry (thawed but cold)
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
White or black sesame seeds (optional)
1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed
½ cup sour cream
2 cups frozen peas
Directions
1
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2
Heat a large Dutch oven or pot on medium-high until hot. Add the olive oil, onion and celery; season with salt and stir until softened and starting to color, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and stir until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds.
3
Stir in the butternut squash and vegetable stock, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the butternut squash is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
4
Meanwhile, lay out the puff pastry onto a cutting board. (If it’s still cold, it shouldn’t stick, but if it feels too soft, dust your surface with a little flour.) Cut the pastry into four equal rectangles, each about 4 by 6 inches. (They can be larger or smaller, based upon how big your piece of pastry is.)
5
Transfer the pastry to the lined sheet pan, leaving a 1-inch gap between each piece. Brush the top of each piece with the egg wash and scatter with some sesame seeds, if using. Place in the oven and bake until puffed, golden and crispy, 15 minutes.
6
Place the cannellini beans into a bowl and roughly mash a portion of them with a fork. Uncover the butternut squash, add the beans and stir to combine. Cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and peas and heat until everything is warmed through. Taste and season well with salt and pepper.
7
To serve, ladle the butternut squash mixture into bowls and top with a piece of puff pastry. Serve immediately.
Description
In this deconstructed vegetarian take on pot pie, this lush and velvety stew-like soup is served with a loose golden puff pastry lid, which makes a perfect instrument for dipping. Baking the puff pastry separately ensures all-around shattery crispiness. The earthy sweetness of the butternut squash is lightened up by frozen peas, which add pops of color and brightness, while sour cream which imparts a subtle tart creaminess. Roughly mashed cannellini beans are used to thicken up the soup, adding flavor, body and richness without any extra heaviness. To cut down on prep time, you can use store-bought precut chunks of butternut squash.