Chicken Pot Pie with Fresh Herbs

Traditional pot pies are filled with white sauce chicken, peas, carrots and potatoes.  Here’s an idea: use fresh herbs in the sauce as well as in the crust for a more sophisticated pie.  I love walking out to the garden and sniping a few fresh herbs.  In my year-round garden I have rosemary, oregano, thyme, sage, and parsley; spring planting includes basil and dill. 

Crust:

1 1/3 cups flour

1/2 cup shortening

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley

1 Tablespoon minced rosemary

2 teaspoons thyme leaves

1 egg

2 teaspoons white vinegar

Water as needed

In a large bowl combine flour and salt. With a pastry tool cut shortening into flour until you have small pea size pieces, then add in herbs.  Mix egg with vinegar and sprinkle over flour mixture.   Mix a little at a time until the dough comes together.  Add water as needed.   Form dough into disc and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least one hour.  In the meantime, begin filling.

Filling:

6 Tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons flour

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups shredded chicken

1/4 diced onion

1/3 cup diced celery

1/2 cup sliced carrots

1/3 cup frozen peas

2 medium potatoes cut into ½ inch cubes (about 1 cup)

1 Tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

2 teaspoons chopped rosemary

1 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground sage

Egg wash for pastry

In a medium sized pot melt butter and sauté onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes for about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle in flour and cook for 1 minute.   Stir in broth and simmer until thickened.  Once the broth thickens add in heavy cream, herbs, salt and pepper, chicken and peas. Transfer to baking dish. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On a lightly floured board roll out dough large enough to extend slightly beyond the baking dish.  Lay dough over baking dish tucking end of dough under and crip.   Brush with egg wash then make slits to allow steam to escape while baking.   Bake until golden brown, 45-50 minutes.