The puff pastry basket with vegetables is a fragrant savory pie, crispy on the outside, with a soft core of vegetables that makes it super colorful. Perfect for a lunch outdoors or to serve during a dinner with family or friends. A vegetable savory pie with a genuine and enveloping flavor. A vegetarian recipe to prepare in spring and summer using seasonal vegetables.
For the filling of the puff pastry basket I chose: zucchini, eggplant, fennel, tomato and red onion. For herbs I added thyme and basil picked directly from my balcony. For years I have been taking care of my small garden, trying to have rosemary, basil, sage, parsley and thyme at hand for my recipes.
I will explain how to prepare this crispy puff pastry basket using a round roll of puff pastry, how to cut and season the vegetables for a short sauté and finally create this vegetarian savory pie. Below the first photograph you will also find the video recipe of the savory pie with vegetables with step-by-step instructions to make it with me in my kitchen! You can bring this vegetable basket for the April 25th or May 1st picnic, storing it in a food container already sliced. You can also bring it in your office lunchbox.
I use puff pastry many times for my recipes, both round and rectangular. On the blog you can find the savory pie with asparagus and pancetta, a spring dish I recommend trying. You will also find two articles: tips to get perfectly golden puff pastry and all my easy and quick puff pastry recipes divided by category: from appetizers to main courses and finally desserts.
Each link below is clickable and will take you directly to the recipe or special you chose to read. I remind you that I wait for you every morning in the Facebook group and fan page of Le Ricette di Bea with the Recipe of the Day! An unmissable appointment to start the day with a sweet or savory treat!
Finally, before moving on to the savory pie with vegetables, I remind you that the blog newsletter service is active. To receive one email per month, on the first of the month, just subscribe by leaving your email in the form in the right column or under the blog homepage. The service is free!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer and Autumn, All seasons
- Energy 277.68 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 23.63 (g) of which sugars 2.06 (g)
- Proteins 5.12 (g)
- Fat 18.38 (g) of which saturated 3.24 (g)of which unsaturated 13.47 (g)
- Fibers 1.88 (g)
- Sodium 252.29 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for a fragrant and comforting puff pastry basket with vegetables
- 1 roll puff pastry (round)
- 1 zucchini
- 1 eggplant
- 1 red onion
- 1 fennel
- 1 tomato (medium)
- 1 oz cheese (grated)
- 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- as needed thyme
- A few leaf basil
- 2 tsp milk
Tools to prepare the savory pie with vegetables
- 1 Mandoline
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Stovetop
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Pan
- 1 Springform pan
- 1 Oven
- 1 Fork
- 1 Brush
If you don’t have a mandoline, you can slice the vegetables with a knife, trying to get thin slices to avoid long cooking times. If you want to buy the mandoline I use for my recipes, you can find the link by clicking on the list of useful tools to make this recipe.
Recipe steps: crispy and fragrant puff pastry basket with vegetables
I begin the preparation by washing all the vegetables I chose for this savory pie: the zucchini, eggplant, tomato and fennel. With a knife I remove the ends of the zucchini and eggplant and clean the fennel. Then I peel the red onion and for the moment leave the tomato aside. I take the mandoline and set the cut to the second notch so as to have thin but not too thin slices. I proceed with all the vegetables. These will then go into the pan, excluding the tomato.
Once sliced, I take a large non-stick pan, pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add the vegetables to place them on the stovetop. I sprinkle with a pinch of salt, pepper and a few thyme leaves. I let them cook for about 10 minutes without a lid, stirring gently. I turn off the heat and let them cool for 10 minutes on the kitchen counter.
Meanwhile I preheat the oven to 356°F (fan-assisted) so that it will be hot when I go to bake the savory pie with puff pastry and vegetables.
I unroll the puff pastry and place it, on its baking paper, in a round pan. Mine measures 10 1/4 inches and allows me to have enough pastry left over to create the basket rim. I prick the bottom with the tines of a fork. I sprinkle the base of the puff pastry with some grated cheese and recover the vegetables, now slightly cooled, from the pan.
With a spoon I transfer the vegetables into the basket, trying to distribute them evenly and especially trying to create layers. I place a few sprigs of thyme here and there, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. I take the breadcrumbs and the remaining amount of cheese and sprinkle the entire surface of the puff pastry. With a kitchen brush I slightly wet the edge of the puff pastry basket and distribute some breadcrumbs on the rim. I’m ready to bake.
I place the pan in the center of the oven and let it bake for about 30 minutes. The puff pastry should be beautifully golden and crispy, the vegetables nicely cooked and the scent of thyme will fill your kitchen. I remove it from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes on the kitchen counter.
Meanwhile I scatter a few more thyme leaves on the surface and, if you have them, some basil to give this savory pie the aroma of spring and summer. Fresh basil on the balcony that has finally come back to life thanks to the nice days.
I am finally ready to serve at the table the puff pastry basket with vegetables and wish you a bon appétit! I remind you that I wait for you every day here in my kitchen with many easy, quick and delicious recipes like this one!
Tips, storage and variations of the recipe: puff pastry basket with vegetables
Tips to get a savory pie that is crispy on the outside with a soft vegetable core: cooking the vegetables in the pan already sliced significantly shortens their cooking time. The puff pastry, in fact, after 30 minutes, is ready and if we do not slice the vegetables thinly we risk finding them raw and the damage is done. The cheese and breadcrumbs that we add at the end, before baking the savory pie, will help us create a nice crispness on the surface that is very satisfying when you bite into it.
Storage of the savory pie with vegetables: you can store this preparation in food containers with a lid. First, however, you must let the savory pie cool completely so that there is no humidity or heat. This will prevent the pastry from becoming soggy. If stored in the refrigerator, you can keep it for a couple of days.
Variations of the recipe: of course you can use the vegetables I chose or vary them. Think of peppers for their beautiful color. You can add red or yellow peppers. Maybe, if you don’t eat one of the vegetables I used, replace it with the one you prefer. If you want a richer version of this puff pastry pie, you can add ricotta or cubes of cheese. You can also opt for cubes of speck or cooked ham. In short, let your imagination run free and always create new combinations. After all, every savory pie is good, isn’t it?!?
