Meat Pie (Paleo Pot Pie)

   Bonjour, I'm back today with a recipe from Dr. Chase. Sort of. I'm not sure he would recognize the recipe, or even approve of it, really. 
   I took a recipe called "Chicken and Other Meat Pies", as well as a "Pastry or Crust" recipe and made them paleo (Dr. Chase say "what?"), and also added onion, broccoli, carrots, & celery to round it out.
    I didn't add potatoes...I didn't dare after reading this comment from the book, "Serve (the meat pie) hot, with mashed potatoes, made rich with milk and butter or cream, if you have it. Some put potatoes in the pie, but it is out of fashion, and, thank the Lord, there is one fashion, at least, which is conducive to health, as water-soaked potatoes are not". Yikes.
   So, add potatoes....if you dare!!!  O.k, Dr. Chase has been dead and gone these last 130 years or so, but still, if you feel a pang of un-fashionability because you want to add potatoes, blame Dr. Chase.   

  Meat Pie (Paleo Pot Pie)

*The crust needs some cool-down time in the fridge before baking it, fyi*  :)  

Ingredients:


For the Crust:

• 1 1/2 Cups almond flour
• 1/2 Cup tapioca starch/flour
• Salt
• 1 Tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil, ghee or butter (if you eat dairy). Not melted. Cooler is better!
• Cold water, up to 6 Tbsp
• 1 Egg whisked with a little water, as a wash for the crust before baking

For the filling:

• 2 Chicken breasts, cut into cubes (not sure the weight, but 1 can guess I had 2- 8 ounce chicken breasts) More or less will do fine
  
• 3 Cups broth
• Salt & pepper
• 4 Tbsp tapioca starch mixed/rubbed into the amount of water it takes to blend it into a smooth, runny paste (put tapioca into a small bowl, and add water in small increments)
• 1 Onion, diced
• 2 Cups broccoli florets
• 2 Large carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 2 Celery stalks, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 Tbsp each (or more, to taste) garlic powder and paprika

Method for the Crust:

1. Combine the almond and tapioca flours together in a bowl. Add the baking powder and salt. Mix 'er up!
2. Add the coconut oil, and mix with a pastry cutter, or your cold hands (stick them under cold running water for a minute), and combine until you have coarse crumbs
3. Add a tablespoon of cold water, one at a time, until you have a firm dough that will hold together
4. Wrap up in plastic wrap, and set into the fridge wile you prepare the filling.

Method for the Filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees 
2. In a large skillet with high sides and a lid, or in a pot with a lid, braise (brown) the chicken breast pieces. Add the broth/stock, sprinkle with some salt and pepper, cover, and simmer on low until tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove the chicken from the broth to a plate and set aside. 
4. Add the tapioca that's been mixed with water to the broth, and whisk to combine. Add the onion, broccoli, carrot, celery and seasonings, and add the chicken back in 
5. Simmer on low until the veggies are tender-crisp (almost done) about 5-10 minutes.

Putting it all together!:

1. Place the filling into a lightly greased 9x13 baking pan
2. Take the crust out of the fridge and place onto a sheet of parchment. Flatten with your hand until roughly big enough to cover the "pie". You may also place another sheet of parchment on top of the crust and roll out with a rolling pin
3. Lay the crust on top of your "pie". The best way (possibly the only way...?) is to take the parchment that it's on, and gently flip it over the dish. Getting the crust on top can be tricky...but if it's ugly, who cares? It will still taste amaze-zing! :)  
4. "Wash" the crust with the egg & water mixture, and place into the hot oven. Cook for about 30-35 minutes, until you see the filling bubbling at the sides, and the top is golden and lovely.

   Just for fun, here's the original recipe I started from:

Chicken and Other Meat Pies:   
   "According to the number in the family, 1, 2, or more, young and tender chickens, cut up, washed and put into a stew-kettle with water enough to nicely cover, and a very little salt, and stew till perfectly done, and if pork or any small pieces of any cold meats are to be used, stew also with the chicken; when entirely tender, rub a spoon or two of flour smooth, in cold water and stir in as gravy; add salt and pepper to taste. Set back on the stove to keep hot while you make the pastry or crust".


Pastry or Crust:
  "If for 1 chicken in a 2 quart basin or pie dish, use 1 pt. flour with 1 tea-spoonful of baking powder , and 1 table-spoonful of lard, and a little salt. It is designed to have a thick, but light crust when baked. Put the chicken, with it's gravy, enough to nicely cover it, into the dish, without a bottom crust; but roll out the pastry of such a thickness as to just cover the dish nicely, cut a few fancy slits through the top, to allow the steam to escape, and place in the oven at once, and bake about 30 minutes, or long enough to cook the crust nicely."  

Look at Dr. Chase's face and do what he tells you! :)

   I love it! I added water to the pastry because I didn't see how on earth the crumbly mixture I had from following the directions could possibly become a crust without some liquid. And making a usual crust requires some water....I think Dr. Chase forgot to a add the water in the ingredients (I said that like a snoody teenager, by the way) :)  
   This pie, as with many pies, tastes great as leftovers.     

   I always get stumped writing a closing......whomp whomp.  
   I had this post ready for Monday, but we decided to head out early to make a super-surprise visit to the most amazing, most beautiful, strongest and bravest woman I know (and love a lot!). It turned into a 2 day thing, and we just got back yesterday evening, but it was a wonderful time. The most wonderful time.
  So, have a good Wednesday! The kids have their Christmas concert tonight, which I am looking forward to! The kids have been really excited and practicing their own little part in the show; Abby feeling very grown-up and important for having lines to memorize, Keziah singing her song over and over, and if she forgets a part....she starts from the beginning, and Caleb singing his own hilarious version of the 12 Days of Christmas, which I am sure is not the version he is actually doing in the show, but it sure is amusing!!
   
   Ciao


xo