阿四廚房

不論是黃油雞，走地雞，青遠雞，春雞還是火雞，用上烤，蒸，焗，煮，炆，在我家，最後剩下的總是雞胸，有選擇的話我還是比較喜歡吃黑肉，這大概是大學時期在宿舍吃了很多柴皮雞做成的陰影。很多時候我不願吃又不想浪費，就會把餘下的雞胸冰起，他朝一日有需要時，冰了的雞胸肉就可大派用場。這個食譜，不單能替我用掉不想吃的雞胸，還可把家中現有的新鮮或冷藏材料拿來用，清理雪櫃時最好做這個。

批皮一點也不難做，如果有食物處理機（food processor）就更簡單。要批皮成功重點有三：
1.牛油和豬油（或固體菜油）一定要冰凍的，最好放在冰箱15分鐘就萬無一失；
2.要加冰水，剛剛加到材料成糰便成，每家的麵粉乾濕度不同，要隨機應變哦；
3.絕對不能過份攪拌，批皮完成時還能看到一小塊一小塊牛油和豬油混在其中就是最好的狀況，沒有那一小塊一小塊的油脂，你的批皮就不會鬆脆囉。

 simple recipes(網址在下面）有詳細做批皮圖解，大家去看看。
 
如果沒有食物處理機，可用叉或手指來做，最緊要動作快，不要用手心（因手心溫度會另油脂變軟），也能成功。餘下的麵糰可放入冰箱下次再用。


  
yield: 8 serving
recipe: 
pie crest: adopted from simple recipes 
filling: adopted from seasons and suppers
 
pie crust ingredients:
215g all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
114g chilled unsalted butter, diced into half inch cubes 
54g lard
4 to 5 tbsp ice water
 
instructions for pie dough:
1.sift all purpose flour. add to food processor and combine with salt. 
2.add the chilled butter cube and pulse five times. 
3.add the chilled lard cube and pulse a few times until the butter and lard cube become pea-size. 
4.slowly add ice water into the food processor through the feeding tube, a tablespoon at a time, pulse after each addition until the dough stick together when you press between your fingers.
5.pour the content into a bowl or a clean table, gathered the pie dough and form into a ball. flatten the ball into a disk. wrap it with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. 

filling ingredients:
5 tbsp all purpose flour
70g unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 small container of cremini or button mushrooms
1 cup of frozen pea, rinsed with tap water and let it defrost at room temperature
1 cup of frozen corn, rinsed with tap water and let it defrost at room temperature
4 cups of cooked chicken, diced
a big splash of white wine (optional)
2 cup of chicken stock
1 cup of milk
salt, black pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder for seasoning
egg and water for egg wash  
  
instructions for filling:
1.prepare all ingredients.
2.in a large pot, melt 5 tbsp of butter over medium high heat. add the onion, potato and carrots and season with salt and pepper. let it cook for about 10 minutes until tender. 
3.add the mushrooms and continue cooking for another 4 minutes. 
4.add a big splash of white wine into pot if using and let it cook for 1 minute.
5.turn heat down to medium, add flour, keep stirring and cook for at least 1 minute. 
6.turn heat up to medium high, slowly add the chicken stock and milk mixture while stirring continuously. cook the mixture until its thick and bubbly for around 3 minutes. Stir in chicken, peas and corn. taste and season with salt, black pepper, dried thyme and garlic powder. remove from heat. 

instructions for assembling the chicken pot pie:
1.preheat the oven to 410F. 
2.transfer the filling to individual oven safe ramekin and allow it to cool down. 
3.in the mean time, roll out the dough on a lightly flour surface to a little less than a quarter-inch thick. cut into the shape, slightly larger than the circumference, of the ramekin. cut some vents into each pie dough. 
4.lay a piece of pie dough on top of the pot pie filling. use the tines of a fork to press the dough against the edge of the ramekins.  use a pastry brush to apply egg wash to each pie. put the pie on an aluminum foil lined baking tray and bake for 25 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.
5. let is cool at least 5 minutes before serving.