Chicken Pot Pie
Notes
• The addition of saffron to pot pie is purely a Lancaster County touch; Pennsylvania Dutch from elsewhere would not do this.
• Flour sack towels are available by mail order from Lehman's.
Pennsylvania Dutch pot pie (botboi,
in the dialect) is not a pie but rather a dish akin to Southern chicken
and dumplings or chicken and pastry. The dumplings are flat squares made
from a dough that resembles pie dough and cooked in a pot of broth—hence,
pot pie.
There are many different styles of pot pie
dumplings, some thicker than these and leavened with baking powder, some
closer in consistency to egg noodles. I have not made a serious study
of all the possible variations. This is simply the recipe I use. As with
chicken corn soup, if you make the broth
and cook the chicken ahead, it is not too much work to make the dumplings
and finish the dish for dinner.
Note: The dumpling recipe is adapted
from one by Mrs. Laura Davis, published in the Cook Book compiled
by the Joygivers Class of Maidencreek Union Sunday School, Blandon, Pennsylvania,
1967. If Mrs. Davis is still alive, I hope she will not mind my borrowing
it here. I am grateful for the recipe!
Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS
for the broth:
4 whole chicken leg quarters, or 4 thighs
and 4 legs
(preferably
free-range)
3 quarts water
3 stalks celery, leaves included
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
for the dumplings:
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for
rolling
pinch salt
1/4 cup shortening
2 eggs
milk, as needed
finishing the dish:
potatoes, cut into roughly 1-inch pieces
carrots, sliced thickly
celery, sliced thickly (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
a generous pinch of saffron (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to
taste
EQUIPMENT
a large stockpot (6- to 8-quart)
a large piece of cheesecloth, an old teatowel,
or a fine mesh strainer
a second teatowel
MAKING THE BROTH
1. Rinse the chicken under cold water to remove traces of blood. Place the chicken in the stockpot and cover with roughly 3 quarts of cold water.
2. Place the stockpot on the stove over medium-low heat and bring to a simmer, very slowly. As the water nears a simmer, skim off the foam and scum that rises to the surface. When the water reaches a simmer and the scum is no longer rising, partially cover the pot. (To extract as much flavor as possible from the chicken and to prevent impurities from dissolving into the liquid, you should not allow the stock to boil rapidly. You should see small bubbles rising slowly from the bottom of the pot. But if it does boil, don’t panic—just lower the heat and keep going.)
3. After an hour or so, remove the chicken from the pot and cut most of the meat from the bones. (Don't be too picky; any meat left on the bone will flavor the broth.) Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, wrap tightly in a plastic bag, and store in the refrigerator. Return the bones and any sinew or gristle to the pot. Cut the 3 stalks of celery into 2- to 3-inch pieces and add these to the pot. Let simmer for another two to four hours, checking the pot occasionally to make sure it doesn’t boil too hard.
4. With a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the chicken and celery from the pot. Strain the broth by pouring it through a large piece of cheesecloth, a fine mesh strainer, or even an old teatowel. (I use flour-sack towels for straining stock, which are a good thickness, are quite inexpensive, and can be reused indefinitely if they are washed in hot soapy water after each use.) Return the broth to the pot.
MAKING THE DUMPLINGS
5. While the broth is simmering on the stove, combine the flour and salt. Add the shortening and combine with your fingertips, pinching it in to make crumbs. Add the eggs and combine well with a fork.
6. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time, mixing it in lightly with the fork, until the dough comes together. How much milk you need will depend on how humid a day it is, but you should not need more than 1/4 cup. The dough should be just wet enough that you can roll it out.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick. Lay it on a floured teatowel and let dry for about an hour.
8. With a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut the dough into 2-inch squares. (The exact size and shape don't matter, of course.)
FINISHING THE DISH
9. Season the broth to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the saffron if you are using it.
10. Bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Add the potpie dumplings and the potatoes, carrots, and celery. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let simmer, partially covered, for about 20 minutes or until the dumplings float and taste done when you test one. Exact timing will depend on how thick you made the dumplings.
11. Add the cut-up chicken and the parsley to the pot and return to a boil.
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