Vegetable Pot Pie

Filling

• 12 TBSP. unsalted butter {1 ½ sticks} 
• 2 cups sliced yellow onions {2 onions}
• 1 fennel bulb, top & core removed, thinly sliced crosswise
• ½ cup all-purpose flour 
• 2 ½ cups good chicken stock 
• Pinch of saffron threads {you can find these in the grocery store in the spice section}
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 
• 3 TBSP heavy cream 
• 1 ½ cups diced potatoes {1/2 lb.}
• 1 ½ cups asparagus tips 
• 1 ½ cups peeled, diced carrots {about 4 carrots} 
• 1 ½ cups peeled, diced butternut squash 
• 1 ½ cups frozen small whole onions {1/2 lb} 
• ½ cup flat-leaf parsley 

Pastry

• 3 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt 
• 1 tsp. baking powder 
• ½ cup vegetable shortening 
• ¼ lb. cold unsalted butter, diced 
• ½-3/4 cup ice water 
• 1 egg beaten with 1 TBSP water for egg wash 

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and fennel and sauté until translucent, 10-15 minutes. Add the flour, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly add the stock, saffron, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the heavy cream and season to taste. The sauce should be highly seasoned.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Lift out with a sieve. Add the asparagus, carrots and squash to the pot and cook in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Add the potatoes, mixed vegetables, onions and parsley to the sauce and mix well.

For the pastry:
Mix the flour, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade {or do the old fashioned way cutting in the shortening with pastry cutter} Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly together. Mix or cut in the shortening until it is about the size of peas. Slowly add the ice water & only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Divide the filling equally either in pans or use a 9x13 baking pan. Either divide the dough to cover little individual servings or roll out to cover a 9x13 pan. Brush the outside edges of the indiv. Pans or larger pan with egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim & crimp the dough to fold over the sides. Brush the dough with an egg wash and make some slits into the top. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake for 1 hour or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.