Pot Pie, Where have you been all my life?

I grew up with many wonderful foods,spaghetti almost every Tuesday night, homemade pizza on the weekends, my mom's INCREDIBLE pancake breakfasts and many more I'll save for another reminacing session. But what I didn't grow up with, was Pot Pie. David did. And for some time now, when I ask "What should I make for dinner?", the response has come, "Chicken Pot Pie". Tonight, I obliged.

So, for a girl that has never really had chicken pot pie, eats gluten and dairy free, AND tries to make each and every meal super balanced and nutritious, chicken pot pie was going to be a challenge.

Where to start? With the flakey, gluten and butter filled crust? Or the ooey gooey center, filled with butter and cream?

I tackled the crust first. I decided to go with the tried and true legume flour crust that I use for pizza. The only problem? Getting it in one peice onto the top of the pie, since as you know gluten is that sticky substance that holds most baking together - take out the gluten and crumbs you get a plenty. I worked around this issue by pressing the dough (for the top) onto a piece of parchment paper and then flipping the parchment paper onto the top of the pie and peeling away the paper.

Next obstacle, the filling. I decided to make homemade chicken soup, cook it down and then add a little starch to thicken. That's it.



Let me tell you, this pot pie is awesome! I don't know how it measures up against other pot pies as I've never had any others. but I can tell you this - David, who has had many pot pies and loves them said this, "This is the type of meal - so good -it puts me at risk of biting my lip - I gotta slow down". Cute. Particularily, 'cause David at a big, strong 200lbs isn't the type you typically call cute.

Chicken Pot Pie

Crust:
1 1/2 Cups of legume flour - I used chickpea, but any bean flour will work
1/2 Cup Starch - I used potato
1 Tsp. Sea Salt
2-3 Tsp Seasonings - I used a all purpose hearbal salt substitute (thing garlic, onion,thyme,sage,etc)
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Tsp. Cider Vinegar

Soup/Filling:
1 whole roasted chicken
4 carrots, diced
2 onions, diced
2 cups of celery, leaves included, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5-10 mushrooms, sliced
1 cube GF stock
Splash of Bragg's Soy Seasoning
2-3 Tbsp. poultry seasoning
Olive oil
Water
Potato Starch
Almond milk

Instructions:

First get your soup started. Take a large stock pot and put a few swirls of olive oil in the bottom, heat over medium heat. Toss in your onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally. Once the veggies are softened, add your spices. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add your stock cube, and the whole chicken, cover with water. Let the soup simmer for 20 mintues minimum.

Meanwhile, prepare the dough by combining all the dough ingredients and mixing thoroughly. Spray a pie plate with a light coat of canola or olive oil. Take half the dough mixture and press it into the pan, creating a thin even crust along the bottom of the pie plate, and up the sides of the pie plate. Cook the crust in the preheated oven for 8 mintues.



Pull the whole chicken out, place on a cutting board to cool slightly. Scoop a few ladles of the soup into a pan and place over medium high heat. Add 5-10 sliced mushrooms. Cover and let the soup start to cook down, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken meat to the pan, until the desired balance of veggies and chicken is reached.

Again, while the soup is cooking down, press the remaining dough mixture into an even layed on a peice of parchment paper - make sure the dough is large enough to cover the pie.

Once the muchrooms are softened and the liquid has reduced by half, turn the heat down to low. Add a splash of Braggs's seasoning, to taste. Add 2 Tbsp. of potato starch to about 1/2 cup of almond milk (or other type of milk). Add the starch/milk mixture to the soup mixture and stir untill fully incorported. Turn the heat off and continue stirring until the mixture thickens.

Once the mixture thickens, spoon it into the prepared pie crust. Using the parchment paper, flip the dough unto the pie and peel away the paper. Seal the edges by pressing the crust down around all edges. Cut a few slits into the top of the pie. Places in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust is slightly golden and a little crispy around the edges.



Dig in! We did!






This post has been linked to :

Simply Indulgent Tuesdays, Hearth and Soul Hop, Fat Tuesday, Tea Party Tuesday, Monday Mania, Traditional Tuesdays, Confession Tuesdays, Family Time Tuesdays, The Tuesday Talent Show