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Chicken Pot Pie From Chef Lesli Sommerdorf for Harmons
Serves 4
Ingredients: 2 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces Olive oil 2 chicken breast halves Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 small onion, chopped 1 celery rib, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 1 cup frozen peas, thawed 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon paprika About 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed or 2 (9-inch) from-scratch pie crusts (see recipe)
Instructions: Fill a large saucepan 3/4 full with water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook, 5-7 minutes. Drain the potatoes into a colander and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees, about 25 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and let rest. When cool, shred the chicken.
In the same pan over medium-high heat, add another drizzle of oil. Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook until the onions are translucent and the celery and carrots are tender, 5-7 minutes.
In a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir to combine. Lower the heat to medium and cook the flour, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Using a whisk, add the paprika and 4 cups broth and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth. Add the thyme, parsley and season with salt and pepper. Add the shredded chicken, vegetables, potatoes and peas and stir to combine.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Roll the rectangular puff pastry into a square. Place in a large soufflé dish. Prick the base of the dough with a fork and bake until light golden, about 10 minutes.
Pour chicken mixture into prebaked crust. Roll out and top pot pie with second pie dough square. Fold the dough under that overhangs and crimp. Make 3 slits in the top of the dough and bake until the insides are warmed through and the crust is golden brown, about 40 minutes.
Traditional Crust From Chef Lesli Sommerdorf for Harmons
Makes 1 (9-inch) crust
Ingredients: 1 1/2 c all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling 1/2 t kosher salt 1/2 c unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 3 to 4 T ice water
Instructions: In a bowl, combine flour and salt. Add butter and work it into flour with pastry blender or pulse in a food processor until mixture resembles fresh breadcrumbs. Sprinkle in water, 1 T at a time, stirring lightly with a fork after each addition. Use enough water so the dough holds together.
Form dough into a ball and flatten top to form a disk. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/8 inch thick and 11 inches in diameter. Transfer dough to pan, trim edges to make about a 1-inch overhang. Fold edge under and crimp decoratively.
From The San Francisco Chronicle
