Ingredients Flakey Crust: 1 cup fine almond flour 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon xanthan gum 1⁄8 teaspoon fine sea salt 3-4 tablespoons ice-cold water 1 large egg (to use as an egg-wash, not to add to the dough) Broccoli Cheddar Soup Filling:1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil 1 medium yellow onion, peeled & minced 1 1⁄2 teaspoons sea salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled & minced 1 cup cremini mushrooms , sliced 4 cups broccoli florets, chopped 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1⁄2 cup chicken stock 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Garnish: Fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions Prepare the crust: Unwrap the butter and place in the freezer on a plate for at least 30 minutes so that it becomes very cold. Remove from the freezer and slice in cubes. Add the almond flour, xanthan gum and sea salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until mixed well, then add the cubes of frozen butter and pulse until it is well-combined and a dough starts to form. Add ice-water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough has finished forming. It will be slightly sticky, but firm enough to handle. Form into a bowl and place it in a bowl in the fridge until ready to roll out and use. When ready to roll out, place it between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out flat, so that it is 1⁄4” thick. Place it on a baking tray and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it in your broccoli cheddar soup pies. Prepare the broccoli cheddar soup filling: Add the tablespoon of butter or coconut oil to a large pot on the stove set to medium-low heat. Add minced onions and garlic and stir well to combine. When it has sauteed for about 5 minutes, season with sea salt and black pepper. Stir well. Add the sliced mushroom and saute for another 5 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and heavy whipping cream and chicken stock and saute until the broccoli has softened and the vegetable’s excess water has mostly evaporated. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until it’s melted. Turn off the heat and get ready to prepare your broccoli cheddar soup pies. Prepare your broccoli cheddar soup pies: Remove the pastry dough from the fridge and create 12 3×3” squares (6 squares will be the bottoms of the pastries and 6 will be the tops). Scoop large spoonfuls of the broccoli cheddar soup onto the 6 bottoms and cover them with the 6 top. Use your fingers to secure all of the edges, so that the soup filling is secure inside and not leaking out of the dough. Brush each pastry with a thin layer of egg wash. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven until golden in color, about 12-15 minutes, keeping an eye on them so that they do not burn. Remove from the oven and let cook for a few minutes before garnishing with fresh thyme. Serve between 6, storing any leftovers in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
