Vegan Gluten-Free Chili Cheese Pot Pies

Instructions

1. To make the crust, add tofu, mustard, and 1/4 cup of nondairy milk to food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and add flax eggs. Stir well. 

2. Next add flour, cornmeal, nutritional yeast, turmeric, salt, and baking powder and stir well. May need to use hands. You want the dough to be thick. If the mixture is too dry (not coming together), add a little more nondairy milk and mix. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

3. To save time, start the chili after the crust has been in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

4. Heat a large nonstick pot over medium high heat. When hot, add onions and saute for 4 minutes, letting stick a little, then adding water to de-glaze. Note if you are using a stainless steel pan, keep adding water to keep it from sticking. After 4 minutes, add garlic and saute another minute.

5. Add mushrooms and tomatoes, stir well and cook for 3 minutes. Then add spices, beans, and corn. Stir well and let come to a boil, then lower the heat to medium low and let simmer until the crusts are pre-baked.

6. Remove dough from refrigerator and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (or 190 degrees C). Grab 1/2 cup of the dough and make a ball with your hands. Place it in one of the ramekins and press it out so it covers the inside of the ramekin in an even layer. 

7. Build out the crust so it reaches the top--if you're short dough, add a little extra from the bowl to cover any blank space. You want the crust to be thin--around 1/8 of an inch. Try to make the dough an even thickness throughout.

8. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough. You can also just use all of the dough in a square baking dish or pie dish. Cover the rest of the dough back up but leave on the counter or table.

9. Place ramekins on a rimmed cookie sheet and pre-bake for 10 minutes so they’re not totally wet when you add in the cooked chili.

10. While the crusts are pre-baking, if you have not already made the mozzarella, make it now by adding all the cheese ingredients to a blender, blending till smooth, adding it to a medium saucepan, and boiling + stirring until thick, gooey, and stretchy (about 4-5 min).

11. Now we will assemble the pies. Use a spoon to fill the ramekins with chili until about 1/2 inch from the top of the crust. Using a separate spoon, add a generous amount of cheese (2-3 tbsp) and spread over the top layer.

12. Finally, take about 1/4 cup of dough (revive with a few tbsp of nondairy milk if it has become too dry) and make another ball with your hands. Flatten between your palms or on a cutting board until wide enough to cover the inside surface of the ramekins. Dough should be 1/8" thick, the same as the walls. 

13. Gently lay the top over the cheese covered chili. Stretch and pinch the dough top to the exposed dough walls, sealing the pie shut. Using a knife or toothpick, create a few air holes for the pies to breathe while cooking. Use your fingers or a pastry brush to spread a little nondairy milk across the tops of all the pies.