soft goat cheese and fennel pie
December 23, 2013 § 68 Comments
We prepared this savory pie for dinner the other night and if you are in need of an aromatherapy session this is your answer. Your whole house will have a lovely scent of fennel and roasted walnuts. It is perfect for a casual weekend lunch or as a vegetarian option for entertaining. We enjoy a savory pie for breakfast on Christmas morning. You can make it the night before, refrigerate and reheat in the morning. Awww the smell…
I n g r e d i e n t s
- 3 fennel bulbs, cut into thin wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 7 oz. soft goat cheese, roughly crumbled
- 1/2 cup walnut halves
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 light cream
- 2 tablespoon chopped scallions
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- your basic regular pie crust recipe
M e t h o d
Preheat oven 350°F. Put the fennel bulb wedges on a roasting pan, add the olive oil, and season well with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes, turning after 20 minutes, until golden and tender. Let cool to room temperature. Prepare your pie crust while the fennel is in the oven roasting.
Once the fennel has cooled arrange onto the pie shell and scatter the cheese and walnuts randomly over and in between the pieces of fennel. Put the eggs, cream, and scallions in a bowl. Whisk with a fork to combine, season well and pour over the fennel. Bake in the still-hot oven for about 45 minutes, until golden on top. Serve the pie at room temperature. Delicious with a lightly dressed arugula salad on the side.
COTTAGE GROVE HOUSE 
Seans, This looks amazing, especially with the chevré, roasted fennel and scallions! Delicious! Best, Shanna
Seana, This looks amazing, especially with the chevré, roasted fennel and scallions! Delicious! Best, Shanna
Yes, this was a very lovely pie with the chèvre, which I happen to love! I must make it again soon. Best to you Shanna. :)
What a dreamy looking pie! Yummmmm x
Thank you. Certainly love a good savory pie and this was a very nice combination, especially with the fennel and walnuts.
Really such a lovely pie. the roasted fennel with goat cheese sounds heavenly.
Thank you Suzanne. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
This looks incredibly delicious! How lovely!
Thank you tastytreats! You always leave me such kind comments. :)
Ha! Great minds think alike. Just as I noticed your post in my inbox, I was in the middle of making a goat’s cheese pie! Mine has caramalized onions, but I LOVE the sound of fennel and walnuts. Definitely one to try later, and I can absolutely imagine the aroma. Wishing you a very merry Christmas. xx
Caramelized onions and goat cheese sound perfect in a pie. I do make a savory pie a few times a year. I usually go for steamed vegetables such as asparagus or broccoli, however, roasted fennel and now the sound of caramelized onions are far more appealing. And a Merry Christmas to you Saskia. :)
This sounds incredible — I will definitely be trying this recipe!
Great! I hope you do try it! Such a lovely pie you’ll love it. :)
Mmm I can smell the pictue :)
Ha! I do love the smell of fennel roasting in the oven… :)
What a wonderful and flavorful sounding pie. I love fennel and your dish looks delicious.
Thank you Karen. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas. :)
Effing love it! Merry Christmas to you.
:) Thank you… Merry Christmas.
yummie yummie!
Mmm, what a lovely combination with strong and lasting flavours. Just lovely x
Thank you so much for your nice comment Deena. :)
So appetizing :)
Wonderful flavour/textural combo Seana! Have a happy Christmas
Lovely recipe!!!I love goat cheese!! Sounds really delicious!
Have a great Christmas!!! X
And Merry Christmas to you Serena. :)
That pie looks so good!
Thank you Nancy. :) Nice to hear from you!
This is just beautiful and so interesting because I also have a chevre tart on the menu for Christmas – one with bacon and caramelized onions. I’ve rarely used fennel but when I do – I really like it.
I hope you have a truly joyful and wonderful Christmas!
Bacon and caramelized onions with chèvre Lindy, sounds lovely! Wish I had a slice right now with my coffee on this lovely Christmas eve. Merry Christmas!
Even though this is supposed to be the best time to eat fennel, as it’s less bitter, I never see the stuff for sale. Do love the idea of this. But can’t imagine a suitable sub. Oh well, I’ll just sup an extra large bowl of your freshly made onion and potato soup tomorrow instead :)
Yes, and speaking of onion and potato soup..pan-fried potatoes! Of course! You are brilliant! I’m so happy you made the soup and enjoyed it enough to make again. Now I have to make it again after Christmas with the pan fried potatoes. Hope it is post worthy because I would love to see your photographs (if you were able to get some light).
Merry Christmas Johnny…
Didn’t you make yours with pan-fried? Oh!
Have a wonderful Christmas!
Well, they were added to the onions and oil but only for a short period of time, to coat. What I imagined from your comment was to actually pan some potatoes until crisp and add to the soup, crouton style. I’m going to make this today…I decided.
Looks so so rich and delicious–holiday worthy! Hoping you have a wonderful Christmas time with your family there…
Thank you Rhonda. Merry Christmas to you as well. :)
And we have all the ingredients in the kitchen! Wonderful recipe! :-D
Great! Hope you get a chance to put a savory pie together, it’s wonderful.
Happy Holidays!
Hm, I’ve never tried fennel in pies. The pie looks tempting :)
This was the first time I had fennel in a pie, and it was wonderful. Hope you get a chance to try it sometime! :)
Oooh! Lukin soo delicious. Very good recipe! :)
This pie makes my mouth water. What a great recipe for the festive season. Merry Christmas!!!……danny
Hi Danny! Nice to hear from you! :) Thank you and hope your holidays are wonderful.
have been thinking savory pies lately as my husband and kids have been crushing on those frozen pot pies in foil trays at the supermarket. Am sure I could do better. You’ve given me a great place to start :-) Thanks! Like the goat cheese especially.
Do try it you’ll be surprised how easy and delicious. I have only made a pot pie once in my life! That has to change…you just reminded me. :) Thank you!
I love goat cheese. I love fennel. I love a good carb base, and this recipe is the perfect concoction. I am going to try making this someday.
Yes…me too all three! Hope you get a chance to try making this pie chefmo, it’s truly delicious. :) and quite simple to put together too.
What a recipe! I die! No hyperbole, I basically squeed when I clicked on your site and read the title and saw the decadence that is this pie. I love fennel – but so far have had it only raw in salads. Would love to make this for a festive occasion and there’s one coming up.
Also: Happy 2014!!! xoxo
Sweet, i’m a big fans of fennel!
i guess i can’t found any reason to say no to your pai then…
I’m a recent convert to the virtues of fennel, and I must say this looks so comfortingly delicious! Really looking forward to trying this out.
This really is a wonderful pie. Next time I prepare this I’ll chop the walnuts a little more and evenly distribute them over the top, it will be an improvement! I hope you get a chance to try it!
Can I just say: Y-U-M!!!! This looks incredible Seana! It’s got most of my favourite things in it, delicious pastry and goats cheese with soft, sweet fennel and toasted walnuts. I can imagine how good it would’ve been! Yum (just had to say it again). Happy new year lovely xx
Thank you so much Laura. I know you do love fennel, we’ve chatted about it before. It’s so lovely in this pie. Roasted until soft and delicious..yes…yum. :) Happy New Year to you as well.
Oh, does this look divine! Goat cheese is heaven in my book… Happy New Year to you and your family. Looking forward to your creative dishes in 2014!
Thank you Colleen, and happy baking in 2014! I just love your cookies!
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm,…I,made this delicious recipe,last night & my hubby Peter & I both loved it so much!!! 😀
I hope your holiday season has been as wonderful as this pie looks! I’ve never baked fennel into a pie before, but I imagine the aromas are amazing… what a uniquely festive pairing of flavours. Happy New year Seana!
Thank you Irina! We have been having a very good time these past several days. The holidays are always so fun with so many good meals! Very nice to hear from you and hope you are enjoying your holidays too! :)
I am so glad you combo-ed those two flavors together. Hmm…There’s some goat cheese brie in the fridge….You got me thinking.
I hate to admit this, but I just tried fennel for the first time last month. I could kick myself for ignoring this lovely vegetable. This pie looks INSANELY good. Can’t wait to make it at home.kr
Thank you, it is insanely good! And so nice to hear from you. We’ve never met, however, we do share a common friend here in Seattle. :) Grace Yoo!
We do :) I am haven’t seen her in a while, but hopefully soon. Again, you are making such lovely things on your blog.
Hi! Just had the best walk through your site and got caught up. Lucky me, I found this as well as a few more things to pin so that I can get to cookin’ some of your recipes once our kitchen is done. Beautiful photos, well done as always.
-Karen
Thank you for visiting! I can only imagine how much you must be anticipating a completed kitchen. I went a full year without our kitchen! I had the fridge, slow cooker and microwave (which I loathe!) in the living room. I was really happy to ditch the microwave for good once the visqueen came down! Don’t even own one anymore. Hope your kitchen is nearing completion. :)
Seana, What basic pie crust recipe do you use? All of your pies look fantastic!
Thank you Shanna. Most often store bought pie crust. I have tried several and my favorite comes from the frozen section at Whole Foods. I always buy the discs (never the pie tin ones) We have a bakery here that has the best pie pastry and I’ll buy it occasionally, but it’s pretty expensive and a bit out of the way to go pick it up. If I have more time on my hands I make my own using my mom’s recipe. Thank you for your nice compliment, :)
You should post your mom’s recipe soon. I would love to try it. :-)
Ok…perhaps the next pie I make I’ll not be so lazy and make my own crust! :)