pies galore

It feels like a million years since I've been in the kitchen. My table, counter, and sink became a complete mess afterwards, a result of losing the touch of a seasoned cook. Despite all the soap and hot water, it nonetheless felt nice and comforting to be surrounded by ingredients and smells of a dinner coming together. 

After a month of nonstop extra early mornings to work, nights at school, and lost weekends to overtime hours, I needed something special, something beyond a normal kitchen session. My solution was to break open the spur of the moment purchase of a Breville Pie Maker. I was dying to try it out since the sale over a month ago. It was just left in the corner, completely neglected in it's box and styrofoam encase packaging.

And, what could be more perfect and comforting than a chicken pot pie dinner and apple pie for dessert?

Chicken pot pies seem to have a special place in all of our hearts, with it's dome-shaped top that you break with a fork to release a steaming aroma of childhood memories. It's a classic that probably every household in America had stashed in the freezer, ready for any dinner emergency at some point in time. When we were kids, my house was guilty, generally having a few Swanson packages ready to heat in the toaster over and serve over a plate of white rice. Yes, even this time around, my Mom asked if she should make rice, and I just laughed.

I wanted that memorable flavor, and turned to my Cook's Illustrated cookbook for the answer. I made a few tweaks just for my own palette. And, as my friends will know, I generally refuse to use store bought pre-made ingredients, but when the saleslady at Williams Sonoma fervently insisted, I listened.

For the apple pies, a lattice top added a nice decoratively dessert distinction from the savory pot pie. Since the puff pastry crust was pre-made, spending the extra few minutes was not that much more work. The mini pies were small serving sizes, perfect if you want one of each. I did exactly that, for my pie day dinner. The leftover chicken pot pies became lunches for my little department at work.

Chicken Pot Pie adapted from Cook's Illustrated


serves 8

1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery ribs, diced
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup AP flour
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 fresh thyme sprigs
3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 package frozen pie crust
1 package frozen puff pasty

Bring chicken and broth to simmer in covered Dutch oven and cook until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to large bowl and pour broth into cup to set aside. Do not wash pot.

Heat oil in now-empty pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook until softened. Add corn and warm through. While vegetables are cooking, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces with two forks. Transfer vegetables to bowl with chicken and set aside.

Melt butter in again-empty port over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk reserved chicken broth, milk, cream, and thyme sprigs. Bring to simmer and cook until sauce thickens. Remove thyme sprigs. Off heat, stir in chicken-vegetable mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat pie maker. Cut pre-made pie crust and puff pastry into rounds. Line bottom on pie slot with cut pie crust, spoon pot pie mixture, about 1/3 cup, and cover with cut puff pastry. Close pie maker lid and cook for about 10 minutes, until golden.

Apple Pie adapted from Cooks Illustrated


serves 6

3/8 cup sugar
1 tsp grated lemon zest plus 1 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1 lb Washington apples, peeled, cored, and diced
3/4 lb Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 package frozen pie crust
1 package frozen puff pastry

Mix sugar, lemon zest, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice together in bowl. Add lemon juice and apples and toss until combined.

Preheat pie maker. Cut pre-made pie crust and puff pastry into rounds. Slice the puff pastry round into strips and using two rounds, create a lattice top.

Line bottom on pie slot with cut pie crust, spoon pot pie mixture, about 1/3 cup, and cover with cut puff pastry. Close pie maker lid and cook for about 10 minutes, until golden.