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Old-Fashioned Chicken Pie
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| What You Need: |
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A 5-pound roasting chicken, securely trussed
4 quarts chicken stock, fresh or canned, or half chicken stock and half water combined
½ teaspoon salt
12 to 16 small white onions, peeled, about 1 inch in diameter
4 large carrots, scraped and sliced, about 1 inch thick
8 tablespoons butter (1 quarter pound stick), cut into small pieces
2/3 cup flour
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon melted, cooled butter
PASTRY
1¼ cups flour
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening or lard
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut in ¼-inch pieces
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons ice water
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Place the chicken in an 8-quart soup pot and cover it with the chicken stock or chicken stock and water. Add the ½ teaspoon of salt and bring the stock to a boil over high heat.
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2. Skim off all scum and froth as it rises to the surface. Partially cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer the chicken, undisturbed, for about 1½ hours, or until tender but not falling apart. Remove the chicken and set it aside to cool.
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3. Meanwhile, add the peeled onions and sliced carrots to the stock. Simmer, half covered, for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables can be easily pierced with the point of a small, sharp knife. Remove them with a slotted spoon to a small bowl.
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4. Carefully remove and discard the skin from the chicken and cut the meat away from the bones. Cut the pieces into 1½-to 2-inch chunks. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat without browning it. Off the heat, stir in the flour and mix until smooth.
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5. Skim the fat from the stock, then, in a slow stream pour 5 cups into the saucepan, stirring with a whisk all the while. Return the pan to moderate heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick and smooth. Stir in the cream and taste for seasoning.
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6. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Pour the sauce into a baking dish approxi- mately 9 by 12 by 2 inches. Add the chicken, onions and carrots, and spread them out evenly.
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7. Then roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 10 by 13 inches. Lift it up on a rolling pin and drape it over the top of the pan. Crimp the pastry around the sides of the pan to seal and secure it, and brush it with the tablespoon of melted butter.
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8. Make 2 small slits in the pastry to allow the steam to escape and bake the pie in the middle of the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
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9. PASTRY: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, vegetable shortening or lard, butter and salt. Working quickly, use your fingertips to rub flour and fat together until they look like flakes of coarse meal.
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10. Pour the ice water over the mixture, toss together, and press and knead gently with your hands until the dough can be gathered into a compact ball. Dust very lightly with flour, wrap in wax paper and chill for at least ½ hour, or until you are about to make the pie.
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