Chicken pot pie

Chicken pot pie

Ingredients 

Crust:

5 1/2 cups and more to roll                         Whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons                                                     Salt

1 lb                                                                    Shortening 

1 tablespoon                                                   Vinegar 

1                                                                        Egg, white and yolk separated

                                                                          Warm water

Directions 

In a big bowl, mix the flour and salt, add the shortening and cut with a pastry dough cutter or two knives, until pea size crumbs.  Dig a well.

In a big measuring cup beat the egg white with the tablespoon of vinegar and add warm water to have 2 1/2 cups of liquid.  Stir and pour in the flour well and on the side of the bowl.  Mix gently with a spatula until everything is wet.  Cover and put in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

 Please use as little plastic as possible and consider reusing a produce or shopping bag for this.

Filling:

Ingredients 

4                                                                    Diced carrots

2 cups                                                          Cut string beans 

1                                                                    Scallion

1 clove                                                         Garlic

1 tablespoon                                               Oil

1 tablespoon                                               Butter

3 tablespoons                                             Whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups                                                    Warm chicken broth

2 cups                                                           Cooked, cubed chicken

1 teaspoon                                                   Turmeric (optional) 

1 teaspoon                                                   Salt

1/2 teaspoon                                               Pepper
1 pinch                                                         Nutmeg
1/2 pinch                                                     Cayenne pepper

Directions 

Heat up the oil and butter in a big pot at medium heat and warm up the 2 1/2 cups of broth in a smaller pot.  Saute the carrots about 7 minutes and add the string beans.  Cook about 7 more minutes and add the scallions, garlic and spices.  Let cook about 30 seconds then add the 2 tablespoons of flour.  Let cook 1 minute and add the warm broth slowly while stirring.  Let cook, stirring  constantly, until it's thick.

At this point, if you are hungry like me and have not the patience to wait for the dough to chill; you can have some.  There's more than enough for one pie.

This dough recipe yield 3 pies, so you need only the third for the pot pie.  I like to divide the remaining in 2 ziploc bags and put them in the freezer for later use.  It's good for sweet pies too.  When the dough is ready to be rolled, do so using a lot of flour on your hands, rolling pin and surface.  Divide the dough in three, then in two, using more dough for the bottom one, make a ball and roll it on the floured surface. Roll, turn, flip and roll more with a center to outside motion.  Transfer to your pie plate and fill with the chicken mixture.  Roll the remaining dough.  Fold in two and cut off the middle and slit the folds to make vents.  Wet the edge of the bottom crust with water, using your fingers or a pastry brush.  Transfer the top dough on the pie and unfold.  Press the edges.  Add a splash of water to the egg yolk, mix and paint the dough.  Cook in the oven at 425 °F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. 

When I have vegetarian guests I substitute the chicken with dark red beans and vegetable stock and everyone enjoys it.  Make it à la your guests and bon appétit!

Here's the vegetarian version: