Chicken Pot Pie

 

Filling

· 1 cup fresh or frozen peas

· 5 tablespoons butter, divided

· 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

· 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

· 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

· 2 leeks, well washed and thinly sliced

· 12 chicken thighs, skinned, boned, and cut in 2-inch pieces

· Salt and pepper

 

Cream Sauce

· 2 tablespoons butter

· 3 tablespoons flour

· 1.5 cups chicken broth

· .5 cup heavy (whipping) cream

· .25 cup sliced green onions

· 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1
tablespoon dried parsley flakes

· 1.5 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

 

Crust

· 1.5 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

· .5 teaspoon salt

· .5 cup plus 2 tablespoons sot shortening, such as Crisco

· 3 to 4 tablespoons ice cold water

 

Steps

1) Heat oven to 350°F.

2) Blanch fresh peas for 2 minutes or thaw
frozen ones. Drain and place peas in a large mixing bowl. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon of the oil in large skillet. Add sliced mushrooms and stir-fry 5 minutes. Add mushrooms to peas. Put 4 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil in skillet. Add carrots and leeks; cover skillet. Cook over low heat 10 minutes, stirring now and then. Add to
vegetable mixture. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Stir-fry in skillet 10 to 15 minutes until browned and almost done. Remove chicken mixture from skillet, add to vegetable mixture and set aside.

3) For sauce: Add 2 tablespoons butter to skillet. Stir in flour. Cook until bubbly. Pour in chicken broth and cream. Simmer, stirring until
thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in onions, parsley, and tarragon. Mix cream sauce into chicken-vegetable mixture. Pour greased square 2.5 quart baking dish.

4) For crust: Sift flour before measuring. Measure flour and salt into mixing bowl; stir together with fork. Drop shortening by tablespoonfuls onto flour. Taking a pastry blender in one hand and holding the bowl firmly in the other, cut the shortening into the flour until mixture looks like coarse meal. Place about .5 cup ice water in a cup. Using a one tablespoon measure, add 1 tablespoon of ice water to flour in bowl, then mix it in with fork. Repeat this twice.

5) If all four has not been moistened, add 1 more tablespoon water, working dough until it forms a ball. Using clean hands, round up ball of pastry dough. Arrange a pastry cloth on a work surface and dust lightly with flour. Have ready a rolling pin covered with stockinette and also dusted with flour. Place dough ball in center of cloth and roll dough into a circle, working back and forth to produce a round that is uniform in thickness.

6) Hold pan pie over pastry circle to be sure it is large enough to cover pan with at least one inch extra for finishing edge. Fold pastry into quarters. Carefully lift pastry into place atop filled pie pan. Unfold pastry adjusting
placement on pan. Fold pastry edge under, forming a thick edge around rim in thickness.

7) Using your thumb and forefinger, pinch pastry edge every 2 inches or so to give a pie a crimpled edging. To protect pastry rim from over-browning, tear three narrow strips of aluminum foil and shape them around pastry edging. This covering must be removed after 25 to 30 minutes of baking so edge turns golden.

8) Top with unbaked pastry. Fold under edges of pastry to fit baking dish. Cut slashes in pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until pastry is browned and filling is bubbling.

 

From: Hot Dish Heaven: Classic Casseroles from Midwest Kitchens

By: Ann L. Burckhardt