Meatless Monday: Veggie Meat Loaf en Croute

   

Veggie Meat Loaf en Croute P Serves: 2-3

Easy to prepare, looks impressive on the table and healthy too. This veggie meat loaf is a little crumbly when you cut it; but the pastry holds it all together.  Serve it with a veggie mushroom gravy and some mashed potatoes on the side and you have a very satisfying meal. This recipe is based on using Yves Meatless Ground. It is very crumbly-like cooked chopped meat. Other brands behave differently and will need different additions.
Ingredients
12 ounces Yves Meatless Ground
1 bunch scallions
1 carrot
1 small celery stalk with leaves
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup non-dairy bread crumbs
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk-beaten together-for veggie loaf
1 egg-beaten-for egg wash over pastry
1 sheet pareve puff pastry-defrosted
Flour for dusting surface
Equipment
Electric food processor
Mixing bowl
Small skillet with top
Small cookie sheet lined with baking parchment
Rolling pin
Pastry brush
Directions

1. Preheat oven to: 350 F.
2. Wash and trim scallions and celery. Set aside.
3. Peel and trim carrot. Add to scallions and celery.
4. Chop vegetables finely by hand or in processor.
5. Heat oil in skillet over medium flame. Add chopped vegetables to hot oil and stir well. Cover skillet and stew vegetables until you can crush them with the back of a wooden spoon- about 10 minutes. Stir in meatless ground, parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Taste. Adjust seasoning.  Add crumbs and beaten egg.  Cool.
6. Scrape mixture onto parchment lined cookie sheet and shape into an even loaf. Place in oven and bake about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
7. Sprinkle a flat surface with a little flour and roll out puff pastry sheet large enough to make a package around veggie loaf. Place loaf top side down in the center of pastry. Bring both long ends toward the center so that they overlap a little. Trim short ends if they are too thick and fold them up each side, Press lightly so that they adhere. Brush the seams with egg wash.  Gently turn the Veggie Loaf right side up. Use any leftover dough for decorations. Brush bottom of each decoration with egg wash before placing it on loaf. If you have no extra dough, you can draw whatever you like with the sharp tip of a knife.  Brush egg wash over entire loaf and bake in oven until pastry browns. Serve hot or at room temperature.