Pithiviers Recette in French
This Vegetarian Pithivier Recipe is an easy French puff pastry pie that transforms a classic French pastry into a delicious vegetarian main course filled with roasted vegetables, basil, mozzarella, and flaky puff pastry. While the original Pithivier gâteau is traditionally a sweet almond-filled pastry from central France, savoury versions like this have become just as popular. Golden, crisp and surprisingly easy to make, it's perfect for entertaining or an elegant family dinner.
The Cake Of Kings - Pithiviers Gateau is an almond paste sweet version of this amazing French pie. My Chestnut Apple and Pork pie recipe could be considered a savory pithivier, but I've made it with shortcrust pastry here.
🔍 Quick Look: Vegetarian Pithivier Recipe
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 1 hours 5 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 4
- 📊 Calories: ~934 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: Oven
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Light, buttery layers of golden puff pastry give way to a delicious filling of caramelized roasted vegetables, creamy mozzarella, fresh basil, and sun-dried tomato.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Intermediate - Easy to assemble with ready-made puff pastry, but shaping and decorating the traditional Pithivier takes a little care. Suitable for confident home cooks or adventurous beginners willing to learn and take their time.
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What is a Pithivier?
A Pithivier is a classic French round pie made by enclosing a filling between two circles of puff pastry before baking until beautifully golden.
The pastry takes its name from the town of Pithiviers in France's Loire Valley.
Traditionally, a Pithivier dessert is filled with almond cream (frangipane), making it similar to a Galette des Rois, although the two pastries have different histories and are served for different occasions.
Today, savoury versions known as Pithiviers plat are enjoyed with fillings such as mushrooms, vegetables, cheeses, poultry and game, making them an impressive centrepiece for lunch or dinner.
Jump to:
- Pithiviers Recette in French
- 🔍 Quick Look: Vegetarian Pithivier Recipe
- What is a Pithivier?
- ❤️About This French Vegetarian Recipe
- Pithivier vs Galette des Rois
- Key Ingredients For Roasted Vegetable Pie
- Puff Pastry Vegetable Pie Variations
- What To Serve With This French Dinner Recipe
- How To Make Vegetarian Pithivier Recipe
- Help for rolling out the pastry:
- More Great Love French Food Recipes To Try
- Vegetarian Pithivier Recipe FAQ
- 📖 Recipe
❤️About This French Vegetarian Recipe
This vegetarian French pie is a medley of chopped roasted vegetables with zucchini wedges, red onion, red pepper, and garlic, in a filling of sun-dried tomato paste, and basil, with mozzarella cheese baked between two layers of puff pastry.
And, don't leave out the anchovies! Mmmm…
It can be your main dinner dish or serves well as a side dish or lunch too.
It is commonly held that the dish originated in the French town of Pithiviers in the Loiret department of the Centre region.
Pithivier vs Galette des Rois
Many people confuse these two famous French puff pastry pies.
A traditional Pithivier gâteau is usually filled with almond cream and can be enjoyed throughout the year.
A Galette des Rois, while similar in appearance, is specifically baked for Epiphany in January and traditionally contains a hidden fève (a small charm) inside.
Modern savoury Pithiviers have evolved into elegant puff pastry pies filled with vegetables, cheeses or meat, while Galette des Rois remains primarily a festive dessert.
Key Ingredients For Roasted Vegetable Pie
- zucchini (courgettes)
- sun-dried tomato paste
- mozzarella: Mozzarella melts into creamy pockets throughout the roasted vegetables.
- anchovy fillets
- puff pastry: All-butter puff pastry gives the best flavour and creates beautifully crisp, flaky layers. Make my delicious easy recipe for puff pastry dough and you will never purchase ready made again.
Tip: Chop vegetables the same thickness to ensure even cooking.
Ingredient quantities are in the recipe card.
Puff Pastry Vegetable Pie Variations
- Use red pesto instead of sun-dried tomato paste
- Use goat's cheese instead of mozzarella
- Squash is a popular pithivier vegetable
There are always more sweet and savoury French pastry recipes to make!
How To Make Vegetarian Pithivier Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C/Gas 7)
- Put the red pepper, onion, courgettes, garlic, and olive oil into a large roasting pan or baking sheet, season with the chopped anchovy fillets (if you are including them), salt, and pepper to taste, and toss together.
- Spread the vegetables out and roast on the top shelf of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove, turn them over, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes or until tender. The objective is to evaporate any excess moisture.
- Remove and leave to go cold.
- Make my puff pastry dough recipe while the vegetables cook and cool.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry until it is about ¼ inch thick, then cut into 4 - 6 inch/15.24cm discs and 4 - 5½ inch/12.7cm discs (saucers or storage lids these widths make easy work of cutting circles), roll the pastry a little more if necessary. (See my helpful notes below to get the most from your pastry.)
- Spread the red pesto over the center of each smaller disc to within ¾ inch/2 cm from the edge. Spoon the roasted vegetables on top, sprinkle with basil, and top with a quarter of the mozzarella.
- Beat the egg yolks with 2 teaspoons of cold water. Brush some of the mixture around the edge of each base (this mixture acts as glue to adhere the top and bottom layers); lay the larger discs on top, press the edges together to seal.
- Place the Pithiviers on a buttered non-stick baking sheet and chill for at least 20 minutes.
- The recipe up to this point can be made up to a day in advance.
- Brush the top of each Pithivier with the remaining egg yolk glaze, then score the pastry lightly with the tip of a sharp knife to decorate. Make a small slit in the center of each to let out steam.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes until puffed up and golden!
Help for rolling out the pastry:
- 500 grams of puff pastry will make 4 pocket pies if you cut the 4-6 inch top circles first and as many 5 inch bottom circles as you can out of the first roll.
- Then by gently pressing the pieces of leftover dough together to make a second sheet or stacking the pieces on top of one another then rolling them out carefully.
- Balling up and kneading the leftover pieces from the first roll out will create cardboard dough not light flaky puff pastry you want.
- Rolling the dough to ⅛ thickness instead of ¼ will also help to make 4 complete pocket pies, especially for the 5 inch tops.
- You can also choose to start with 650 grams of puff pastry dough which will result in thicker more stable pocket pies.
- If you are making one 8 inch pie 500 grams will do it. Split the dough in half making two balls with one being slightly bigger for the bottom crust. This is the opposite to making pocket-pie crust.
More Great Love French Food Recipes To Try
Vegetarian Pithivier Recipe FAQ
Absolutely, Assemble the vegetarian pithivier pie recipe one day ahead and keep wrapped in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Puff pastry is always used for pithiviers, like this vegetarian pithivier recipe.
A pithivier is a French puff pastry pie made with two rounds of pastry enclosing either a sweet or savoury filling like this vegetarian pithivier recipe.
Yes, a pithivier is a type of pocket-pie, no pie pan required, as the ingredients like this vegetarian pithivier recipe are tucked inside the pastry bottom and top.
Yes, vegetarian pithivier recipe leftovers can be kept in ge refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to keep the pastry crisp.
Yes, you can freeze the unbaked assembled vegetarian pithivier recipe for up to three months. When ready to eat, bake directly from frozen, approximately 35-40 minutes at 425°F (220°C/Gas 7).
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📖 Recipe
Prep Like a Pro
Before you start cooking, chop, measure, and prep every ingredient, and gather your tools.
This simple habit reduces stress, prevents overcooking, and instantly improves your meals. Mise en Place - "Everything in its place."
Vegetarian Pithivier Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large red pepper seeds removed and roughly diced
- 1 medium red onion cut into wedges
- 2 cups zucchini (courgettes), sliced thickly
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 18 oz puff pastry
- 4 tablespoon sun-dried tomato paste or red pesto
- 4 tablespoon shredded basil leaves tear rather than cut these
- 1½ cups mozzarella or goat's cheese
- 2 egg yolks
- salt and pepper
- 2 chopped anchovy fillets optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C/Gas 7)
- Put the red pepper, onion, courgettes, garlic, and olive oil into a large roasting tin; season with the chopped anchovy fillets (if you are including them), salt, and pepper to taste, and toss together.
- Spread the vegetables out and roast on the top shelf of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove, turn them over and return to the oven for another 10 minutes or until tender.
- Remove and leave to go cold.
- Make my puff pastry dough recipe while the vegetables cook and cool.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry until it is about ¼ inch thick, then cut into 4 - 6 inch/15.24 cm discs and 4 - 5½ inch/12.7 cm discs (saucers work fine for this), roll the pastry a little more if necessary.
- Spread the red pesto over the center of each 14cm disc to within ¾ inch/2 cm of the edge. Spoon the roasted vegetables on top, sprinkle with basil, and top with a quarter of the mozzarella.
- Beat the egg yolks with 2 teaspoon of cold water. Brush some of the mixture around the edge of each base; lay the larger discs on top and press the edges together to seal, and score with the tines of a fork.
- Place the Pithiviers on a buttered non-stick baking sheet and chill for at least 20 minutes.
- The recipe up to this point can be made up to a day in advance.
- Brush the top of each Pithivier with the remaining egg yolk glaze, then score the pastry lightly with the tip of a sharp knife to decorate. Make a small slit in the center of each to let out steam.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes until puffed up and golden!
Notes
- 500 grams of puff pastry will make 4 pocket pies if you cut the 4-6 inch top circles first and as many 5 inch bottom circles as you can out of the first roll.
- Then by gently pressing the pieces of leftover dough together to make a second sheet or stacking the pieces on top of one another then rolling them out carefully.
- Balling up and kneading the leftover pieces from the first roll out will create cardboard dough not light flaky puff pastry you want.
- Rolling the dough to ⅛ thickness instead of ¼ will also help to make 4 complete pocket pies, especially for the 5 inch tops.
- You can also choose to start with 650 grams of puff pastry dough which will result in thicker more stable pocket pies.
- If you are making one 8 inch pie 500 grams will do it. Split the dough in half making two balls with one being slightly bigger for the bottom crust. This is the opposite to making pocket-pie crust.
- Chop vegetables the same thickness to ensure even cooking.
Loved it, tweaked it, or not your "cup of tea"... I’d really love to hear how it went for you.