This recipe is straight off of the website, the recipe I used Alton Brown's recipe from FoodNetwork, as well as a youtube video to follow.
I made my own filling using diced up chicken, onions and mashed potatoes! I chose the baking method of these pocket pies this time around.
As a special touch, I made a nice chicken gravy for on top of the pie, or to dip the pie in! The gravy is optional.
I didn't have shortening, so I just used regular Country Crock butter/vegetable spread.
I also did not use a food processor to mix the dry ingredients, and I used a 8 oz. sour cream lid to form the rounds instead of a biscuit cutter.
Pastry:
- 9 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 2 cups
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/2 ounces shortening, approximately 6 tablespoons
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 egg mixed with 1 to 2 teaspoons water
- Vegetable, canola oil or butter, for frying
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Pulse for a few seconds and then pour into a large mixing bowl.
Add the shortening and knead it into the flour with your hands until it is crumbly.
Add the milk all at once and mix in with a spatula until it begins to come together.
Lightly flour your hands and the counter top and turn the dough out onto the counter top.
Knead the dough ball, folding over 10 to 20 times. Using a rolling pin roll the dough to 1/3 to 1/2-inch thickness, then cut into rounds using a 2 1/4-inch ring.
Roll each round as thinly as possible or to 5 to 6 inches in diameter.
Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling onto the dough, brush the edges of half of the dough lightly with the egg wash, fold over and seal the edges together with the tines of a fork, dipping it into flour as needed.
Gently press down to flatten and evenly distribute the filling and snip or cut 3 slits in the top of the pie.
Dock pies that are going to be deep-fried, instead of snipping or cutting slits.
To pan-fry pies, place a medium saute pan over medium low heat along with 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable, canola oil or butter. Once heated, place 2 to 3 pies at a time into pan and saute until golden on both sides, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side. Allow to cool 4 to 5 minutes before serving.
To deep-fry pies, heat vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or a large heavy pot to 375 degrees F. Once hot, add 1 to 2 pies at a time and fry until golden brown, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
To bake pies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place finished pies onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
I started with my pie filling. I simply boiled a few red potatoes for an hour, cooled them, and peeled off the skins.
Sauteed diced onions for about 20 minuets in butter, and diced up a chicken breast and cooked that for about 30 minuets with some salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and olive oil. I then put the chicken, potatoes, and onion in a large bowl and mixed it around to get everything seasoned. I allowed the mixture to cool on the counter for 15 minuets, and put into the fridge for later.
After the filling was complete, I began to make a chicken gravy. All I used was some of the fatty chicken pieces I had left and a few non fatty pieces, I put a few cups of water in a small pot, added the chicken and boiled it at a low medium setting. I then whisked together a cup of water with a few teaspoons of cornstarch, added to the boiling chicken, and added some gravy master to darken the gravy up. I used a little salt and pepper to taste. I added cornstarch as needed to make the gravy thicker.
I did 2 batches of pocket pies, my first was without cheddar, and the second batch I shredded a little cheddar over top of the filling and mixed around then spooned into the dough round.
Cooking chicken
Sauteing onions
Finished pie filling
Chicken gravy boiling
Dough is ready to go on a floured surface and be rolled out with the rolling pin
Rolled out dough, making rounds with lid; the rounds were not as tall or thick, but wider than they would be if I were using a biscut cutter.
Just cut dough rounds not rolled out yet
Rolled out and ready to go into the fridge; make sure to add more flour to the work place as you do this rolling step
First batch ready for the oven (gravy is in that little container to the left) Scissors I used to cut the dough for steam release, little extra butter on the pan to make sure nothing would stick
30 minuets later...
Delicious pocket pies!
They look like sting rays a little bit.
No comments:
Post a Comment