Pumpkin Pithivier
The origins of the Pithivier go all the way back to the 17th century and at that time it was a puff pastry pie with a sweet filling, also called Galette des Rois. The cake is said to have originated in the village of Pithiviers, just below Paris, where King Charles IV is said to have once consumed it at a banquet. Nowadays, under the name Pithivier, you mostly see recipes for savoury filled versions. The Pithivier looks impressive, but in reality it is not so hard to make, especially with this handy recipe. Want to impress your guests? Then head for this showstopper!
My version is one with a filling of pumpkin, spinach and mushrooms. I add an Asian twist by marinating the pumpkin after roasting it in a sauce of miso, gochujang, rice vinegar and ginger. The heartiness of the miso is great in combination with the sweet pumpkin. The gochujang, a slightly spicy fermented Korean pepper paste, and the ginger add warmth and a fresh kick that is delicious contrasted with the mushrooms and pumpkin. Be sure to get creative with other fillings and flavours once you have mastered this recipe.
Tip for a stress-free dinner (or lunch): make the pumpkin Pithiviers a day in advance and bake them on the day itself. Keep the Pithiviers covered with cling film in the fridge, already put on a piece of parchment paper so you can easily move them to the baking tray or tin. Extend the baking time by about 10 minutes when they come out of the fridge cold and go into the oven.
Servings
This recipe is for 2 Pithiviers and will serve 2 to 3 portions per Pithivier, depending on your menu. In a three-course dinner you can serve 2 to 3 portions out of one Pithivier. As lunch you can serve 4 portions out of 1 Pithivier.
Pumpkin pithivier with miso onion sauce
Equipment
- foodprocessor or handblender with chopper
- baking sheet
Ingredients
For the butternut squash
- 600 g butternut squash, into six slices of approx. 1.5 cm. use the smaller part of 1 or 2 (depending on size) butternut squashes. In total, you will need about 600 g.
- 2 el olive oil
- 1,5 el miso
- 1,5 tl gochujang
- 3 tl rice vinegar or white vinegar
- 1,5 tl finely chopped ginger
For the miso onion sauce
- 6 shallots peeled, cut in half
- 150 ml soya milk or any other plant milk of choice
- 1,5 el miso
- 1,5 el soy sauce
For the mushroom tapenade
- 1 el olive oil
- 300 g champignons coarsely chopped
- 300 g chestnut mushrooms coarsely chopped
- 100 g shiitake coarsely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1,5 el fresh thyme leaves
- 3 el soy sauce
- 3 el toasted sesame oil
- 3 el toasted sesame seeds
- 2 limes, their zest preferably organic because of the skin
For the spinach
- 1 el olive oil
- 300 g spinach leaf
- 1,5 tenen garlic chopped
- juice of 1 lime
For the pithivier
- 4 rolls puff pastry koelvers
- 3 el soy milk or any other plant milk of choice
- ½ tl turmeric
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C. Spoon the pumpkin slices and the shallots for the miso onion sauce onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and brush with 2 tbsp olive oil and roast in the oven for 20 min.600 g butternut squash, into six slices of approx. 1.5 cm., 6 shallots, 2 el olive oil
- Meanwhile, for the mushroom tapenade, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms for 5-8 min. over high heat or until all moisture has evaporated. Add the garlic and thyme and fry for 1 min. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil and fry for 1 min.1 el olive oil, 300 g champignons, 300 g chestnut mushrooms, 100 g shiitake, 3 cloves garlic, 1,5 el fresh thyme leaves, 3 el toasted sesame oil, 3 el soy sauce
- Remove from the heat, scoop into into a food processor or (in batches) the chopper bowl of a hand blender and grind to a coarse tapenade. Mix in the sesame seeds and lime zest and leave covered to cool for 30 min in the fridge.3 el toasted sesame seeds, 2 limes, their zest
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a wok and stir-fry the spinach with the garlic for 3 min or until the spinach has shrunk. Drizzle with the lime juice and stir-fry briefly. Spoon from the wok into a sieve and leave to drain and cool.1 el olive oil, 300 g spinach leaf, 1,5 tenen garlic, juice of 1 lime
- Remove the baking tray from the oven. For the pumpkin marinade, mix the miso, gochujang, rice vinegar and ginger into a smooth sauce. Brush the pumpkin all around with the miso marinade and leave to cool completely.1,5 el miso, 1,5 tl gochujang, 3 tl rice vinegar, 1,5 tl finely chopped ginger
- For the miso onion sauce, coarsely chop the roasted shallots and put them together with the soy milk, miso and soy sauce in a tall mug and purée with a hand blender until smooth. Season to taste with pepper. For a velvety sauce, pour the mixture through a sieve.150 ml soya milk, 1,5 el miso, 1,5 el soy sauce
- From two rolls of puff pastry, cut 2 circles of 17 cm and from the other two rolls 2 circles of 21 cm . Stack in the centre of the small dough circles successively a slice of pumpkin, ¼ part spinach, 1 slice of pumpkin, ¼ spinach and finish with a slice of pumpkin.4 rolls puff pastry
- Divide the mushroom tapenade evenly between the top and sides of the two vegetable stacks.
- Cover the stacks with the large dough circles and make sure they are laid nice and smooth on top. Trim the dough if necessary, leaving a 2 cm rim of dough. Using your fingers, gently pinch a nice serrated edge into the dough.
- For the pithivier, mix the soy milk with the turmeric and brush the pithiviers with it. Leave to set in the fridge for 30 minutes.3 el soy milk, ½ tl turmeric
- Preheat the oven to 200C. Using the tip of a sharp knife, carve decorative lines into the pithiviers' dough, but do not cut through. Make a steam hole in the top. Bake the pithiviers on a baking tray lined with baking paper in the oven for 25-30 min, until golden brown and cooked. Reheat the miso onion sauce briefly and serve with the pithiviers.
