Roasted Vegetable Chicken Pot Pie

Instructions

Start by making your pastry

1. Using a food processor or a pastry blender cut cold butter into flour and salt until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Small pieces of butter should still be visible.

2. Pour cold water over the mixture and work in by tossing with a fork until dough begins to form.

3. Use your hands as little as possible and work the dough as little as possible until you can form it into a ball.

4. Divide dough into 2 balls, flatten into 2 rounds, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes.

5. You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out.

6. Roll the dough into a 12 inch round and place in the bottom of a 10 inch pie plate. Don’t trim the dough at this point. It is better to trim the excess after blind baking it.

7. You will need to blind bake this bottom crust before adding the filling. Blind baking is essential so that the bottom crust will not get soggy. To blind bake a crust, simply place a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil over the dough and cover the bottom of the pie plate with baking weights. (Dry beans, peas, rice or barley work just as well as anything else.)

8. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 12 -15 minutes. Remove baking weights and parchment (or foil).

To prepare the filling (vegetables)

1. Toss together all the ingredients in a shallow baking pan to coat the vegetables in olive oil.

2. Roast vegetables uncovered at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

3. Remove garlic from the skins and mash the roasted cloves into a paste with a fork. Reserve this paste to add to the gravy.

To prepare the gravy.

1. Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Continue boiling for about 30 minutes or until the volume is reduced by about half.

2. Add the sage, savoury, mashed roasted garlic cloves, salt & pepper. Simmer for a few more minutes.

3. Quickly whisk in the flour and water slurry. Cook, stirring constantly for an additional minute or two.

4. Mix the pre-cooked chicken with the vegetables and add to the blind baked pastry shell. Pour the gravy over the filling but don't over fill. I sometimes add just a little, as in the photo and serve the remaining gravy on the side with roasted potatoes. For large pies in particular this is far easier to serve.

5. Top with the second round round of pastry, tucking the edges under the bottom crust. Brush the top crust with an egg wash of 1 egg and 2 tbsp water whisked together.

6. Bake the pie at 425 degrees for about 35-45 minutes or until the top crust is a deep golden brown.

7. Allow pie to stand for 20 minutes to a half hour before cutting and serving. Serve with English Style Roast Potatoes with Roasted Garlic.