Rustic Chicken Pot Pie and a Simple Spinach Salad

1-3-09

Rustic Chicken Pot Pie and a Simple Spinach Salad

Hardware: (I think this is everything)
2 medium cast iron skillets
2 Earthenware pie pans
1 Spatula (not a turner but a real spatula)
1 Set of measuring spoons
1 Set of measuring cups
1 Large mixing bowl
1 set of knives
Bread machine (optional)


Software:
1 ¼ cups 2% milk
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup all purpose flour (as needed)
¼ cup sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
1 t spoon baking powder
1 t spoon garlic salt
½ cup melted margarine
3 T spoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 T spoon bacon drippings (optional)
3 skinless chicken thighs
2 cups cooked mixed vegetables
1 ½ cans or 15oz. condensed cream of chicken soup
4 cups raw spinach (divided into 2 cup segments)
1 small chopped onion
2 chopped green onion
1 stalk celery
1 t spoon dried thyme
1 t spoon paprika
1 ½ t spoons garlic salt
2 T spoons salad dressing of your choice (preferably something creamy)
½ cup onion wine (substitute a cheap, dry Chardonnay or other cheap, dry white wine)
Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Crust (dough)
Heat milk in small reduction pan until temp reaches 120 to 130 degrees
Combine flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder, and garlic salt in large bowl.
Add milk and butter. Beat for 2 minutes. Add extra flour to dough until dough begins to pull away form side of bowl. Kneed dough on lightly floured surface (or in bread machine) for 10 minutes. Shape dough into a ball, place in large lightly oil bowl, turn ball over once to oil surface. Cover with towel and place in warm oven.
Let rise about 30 minutes / until it has doubled in size

-While crust dough is rising

Filling:
Sauté the chicken in 2 T spoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with the thyme. Set aside chicken, when cool pull from bones, place in large mixing bowl. Deglaze skillet with some wine add contents to mixing bowl.

While the chicken is sauteing: In a small skillet combine drippings (or 1 T spoon olive oil), onions, celery, and green onions sauté about 3 minutes on medium, add spinach sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until spinach is wilted, deglaze with 1 table spoon of onion wine. Remove from pan and place in bowl with chicken.

To bowl; add cooked vegetables, cream of chicken, paprika, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Set aside

After dough has risen:
Turn out dough.
Divide into 2 equal portions.
Divide each of these portions into ¾ and ¼ portions.

On flat floured surface, roll bottom crust out; using the larger sections for this task.
Line each pie pan with crust (dough). Bake at 400 degrees until lightly brown. Remove form oven, divide filling equally into each pie shell. Roll out the smaller pieces to use as top crust, roll to seal. Cut 4 slits in the top of each pie. Cover with aluminum foil, bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, remove foil, let tops brown.

Let rest while you prepare the salad.

Spinach salad: Mix 2 cups raw spinach with the 2 table spoons creamy salad dressing of you choice.

Freeze extra pie for a quick dinner another night or some Sunday after church.

Serve with a nice dry chilled Chardonnay or strong iced tea.