Part 78 (1/2)

PREPARE THE filling: Heat the olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the onion and celery. Stir-fry the vegetables until slightly soft, 4 to 5 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook until most of mushroom liquid is evaporated, another 6 to 8 minutes. Add the grated carrot, stir-fry for 2 more minutes, then add the caraway seeds, coriander, salt, pepper, and buckwheat groats. Stir to coat the groats with oil and pour in the hot vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to a low simmer, and cover.

Kasha, or buckwheat, is a hearty, protein-packed grain (actually an herb, botanically speaking!) that's kept people alive in many parts of Asia and Eastern Europe for thousands of years. It can do the same for you; however, it does have a distinctive, ”earthy” taste that might take some getting used to, for those uninitiated in the ways of buckwheat. This pie is a must for kasha fans, though! Look for whole, roasted buckwheat groats in the rice and pasta or kosher foods section of well-stocked grocery stores.

Use the best possible sauerkraut you can get, so stay away from the canned stuff. Look for fresh, water-packed varieties found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.

Working with temperamental phyllo, a thin pastry dough, can sometimes make you curse the Greek G.o.ds, but with a little practice and some careful arrangement of your work ”materials,” you'll fly though it. For this dish, have the phyllo arranged right next to the ca.s.serole dish and keep the dough covered with either plastic wrap or a lightly damp, clean dish towel, so that it doesn't dry out. (Make sure to keep phyllo covered when not using, even between adding layers.) Keep a bowl with the olive oil and a brush near the phyllo as well. You will get olive oil all over the place, but soldier though it like a Spartan warrior.

Cook for 12 to 14 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the buckwheat is tender. Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork, and partially cover. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 to 15 minutes so that kasha is cool to the touch before you proceed with a.s.sembling the pie.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly oil a medium-size ca.s.serole dish. Set up your work area to work with phyllo dough. We like to spread out a clean, damp tea towel on a cutting board, and to keep nearby the stack of phyllo covered in a plastic wrap and draped with another damp towel. Consult the package directions if you're looking for additional support.

Lay a sheet of phyllo dough on your work area. Quickly brush it with olive oil and layer with another sheet. Repeat four or five more times, then fold the entire thing in half and press into the bottom of the ca.s.serole dish to form a bottom crust. Push up the edges of the dough along the sides to form the sides of the pie.

Press one-half of the kasha mixture onto the dough. Spread the drained sauerkraut over kasha and sprinkle with a little freshly cracked pepper. Top with the remaining kasha and press the mixture to edges of the pie to even out. Repeat the process of layering and folding the phyllo dough (as for the bottom crust) to form the top crust of the pie, then press this top crust onto the kasha filling and fold any hanging edges into the sides of the pie.

Brush the top with a little more olive oil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the phyllo is puffed and golden. Cool for 10 minutes before serving and cut the pieces with a very sharp, thin, serrated knife.

TEMPEH SHEPHERDESS PIE.

SERVES 8.

TIME: 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES.

As we were developing this recipe we found ourselves pondering some deep questions. Sheep herding is not vegan by definition, so why does every vegan cookbook have a vegan shepherd's pie? And do vegan shepherdesses dream of electric sheep? Our answer to these riddles is the winning combo of tempeh, peas, and corn, in a zesty mushroom gravy instead of a tomato-based one, because we prefer to dream that way.

For a fun and colorful variation, use mashed sweet potatoes, instead of regular mashed potatoes, as the topping.

Tempeh layer: 2 (8-ounce) packages tempeh

cup tamari or soy sauce

2 cups water

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

1 large onion, cut into inch dice

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground coriander