From Scratch

While we’re not certain of the true origin and meaning of the old nursery rhyme, we can be fairly sure the “four and twenty blackbirds” did not fly out of an apple pie. Savory pies are hundreds of years old and we still enjoy them today.

Two popular savory pies are the comforting pot pie and, from the custard branch of the family, the quiche. Both are good candidates to pair with this herbed dough, which is quickly made in the processor. It can be made up to two days ahead or frozen, a boon for busy days, even indecisive days. I want something homey tonight — it’s another raw day — but can’t decide between quiche and pot pie. When I do, this will be in the fridge, ready to go.

This makes enough dough for two quiches or one 9″ deep-dish double-crust pot pie or one large rectangular single-crust pie. If you use it for quiche, use a pie plate, not a tart or quiche pan. I’ve never risked seeing whether it’s sturdy enough to stand on its own outside a tin; the optional sugar will make it more crisp but I offer no guarantee.

I made this with butter-flavored Crisco; you can use half butter and half vegetable shortening if you wish. If you opt for fresh herbs, triple the amount and chop them in the bowl before adding the flour and salt.

A pot pie recipe I like a lot is Pam Anderson’s. She streamlined it, using frozen veggies, to reduce prep time. As written, it’ll make two in pie plates or one large. I usually cut it in half and make one pie. Obviously, I don’t use a pre-fab crust, nor do I buy a rotisserie chicken to shred. I simply microwave, tightly covered, 12-16 ounces of skinless, boneless breast but lately I’ve been using microwave steam bags to cook chicken for recipes. Seven to eight minutes in a bag produces a pound of moist, evenly-cooked chicken, as good as if I’d poached it.

Herbed Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (300g)
2 tsp parsley
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp sugar, optional

1 cup (1 stick) solid vegetable shortening, cold and cut into small pieces

6-7 TB ice water

Combine dry ingredients and herbs in processor bowl and pulse to combine. Add shortening, pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal and begins to clump together.

Add about 4 TB of the water and pulse 3-6 times. Feel the dough and add remainder as needed, pulsing until moist clumps form. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and form into discs or a rectangle as needed. Wrap in plastic wrap, chill for 30 minutes. Let soften slightly before rolling.

Can be made 2 days ahead or frozen.

Yield: 1 double crust deep dish pie or 1 single crust 9×13 casserole

Ella’s cleanup tip: Doughs are easier to clean with cold water. Simply squirt some dishwashing liquid into the bowl, fill about 1/3 of the way with cold water and process for 30 seconds or so before rinsing with hot water.

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