Vegetable Pie in Air Fryer
Steps
- 1
Set the Ninja Foodi to Sauté function. Add butter and cook onion, carrots, and celery for 3 minutes.
- 2
Add potatoes and vegetable broth. Close the lid and pressure cook for 5 minutes, then quick release.
- 3
Add frozen peas, frozen corn, and thyme. Switch back to Sauté, then add flour and plant-based milk. Stir until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
- 4
Transfer mixture to an oven-safe dish. Cover with puff pastry sheet, trimming if needed.
- 5
Place dish in air fryer basket and cook on Broil function for 10 minutes, until crust is golden and puffed.
- 6
Serve immediately, straight from the dish.
Shopping list
1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 2 potatoes, 1/2 cup frozen peas, 1/2 cup frozen corn, 1 cup vegetable broth, 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup plant-based milk, 1 tsp fresh thyme, 1 sheet puff pastry, salt and pepper to taste
Recipe story
The vegetable pie is a modern twist on traditional European pies, where simple dough was filled with seasonal vegetables. Originating from rustic French cuisine, this recipe has been adapted for the air fryer, preserving the crispy texture and creamy filling. In Victorian England, vegetable pies were popular among the working class as an economical way to use leftovers. Today, this quick version brings the same flavors in a reduced cooking time.
Ingredient Secrets
Black pepper
Known as 'black gold' in antiquity, pepper was so valuable that it served as currency and tribute. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the pepper trade, and individual peppercorns were often counted. Legend has it that when Alaric, king of the Visigoths, demanded tribute from Rome, he included 3,000 pounds of pepper.
Sea salt
Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.
Thyme
In ancient Rome, thyme was burned in temples to purify the air and ward off evil spirits, and Roman soldiers added it to their baths to strengthen their courage. In the Middle Ages, noble ladies embroidered thyme on knights' scarves as a symbol of bravery. The ancient Greeks used it in baths and temples, and its name derives from the Greek 'thymos', meaning 'courage'.
Onion
Probably originating in Central or West Asia, onions were cultivated in ancient Egypt, where they were considered a symbol of eternity and placed in tombs. In ancient Greece, athletes ate them to balance their blood, and in Rome, they were a staple food for soldiers. During the Middle Ages, onions were believed to protect against arrows and the plague.
Potato
Although today it seems indispensable on the table, the potato was long viewed with suspicion in Europe. Arriving from the Andes in the 16th century, it was considered a diabolical plant, even poisonous, due to its toxic leaves and fruits. It wasn't until the 18th century, thanks to promoters like Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, that the potato became a staple food, saving Europe from famine.
Carrot
The carrot, known in antiquity as a medicinal remedy rather than a vegetable, was originally purple or white. It wasn't until the 17th century that Dutch breeders developed the orange variety, honoring the House of Orange.
Peas
Peas are one of the oldest cultivated vegetables, with archaeological evidence in Neolithic sites from the Middle East. In the Middle Ages, dried peas were a staple food across Europe, and in the 16th century, the sweet garden pea was developed in Italy. Fun fact: peas were among the first vegetables to be frozen commercially, in the 1920s.
Corn
Corn, native to Central America, was domesticated over 9,000 years ago in Mexico. After the discovery of the Americas, it spread rapidly to Europe, Africa, and Asia, becoming a global staple crop. Fun fact: in Italy, corn was called 'grano turco' (Turkish wheat) because it was believed to originate from the East.
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