Page 261 - Pie Squared

a bowl and set aside. Add the butter to the pot and increase the heat
to medium-high. When the butter foams, add the chicken, salt, and

pepper and cook, tossing everything around in the pan, just until the
pink is gone. Do not overcook (it will continue to cook in the sauce).
Reduce the heat, sprinkle the flour over the chicken, and stir
everything around until slightly browned and the flour smell is gone,

4 or 5 minutes. Stir in the stock, coconut milk, and curry powder. Add
the cauliflower and carrots and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce
the heat until it’s slowly bubbling. Cover and cook for 10 to 12
minutes, until the cauliflower is barely fork-tender but not mushy. Stir

in the snap peas and cilantro and remove the pan from the stove.
Cool to room temperature before filling the pie.
Heat the oven to 425°F; if you have one, place a baking stone,
Baking Steel, or inverted baking sheet on the center rack to heat

(see here).
Fill the bottom crust with the cooled filling. Drape the top crust
over the filling and trim the overhang. Crimp and slash, using a sharp
paring knife on the cold upper crust (before placing it on the pie) and

slice a stack of semicircular smiles, as in the photograph. Bake (on
top of the steel, stone, or baking sheet if using) for 20 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 375°F and continue to bake for another
40 to 45 minutes, until toasty brown and smelling sensational.

Remove to a cooling rack and let it settle down for a few minutes
before digging in. Serve with mango chutney and lime pickle.

Techniques: Caramelized Onion Crust (here), Mixing and Rolling Out

(here), Crimp and Slash (here)

Swaps:

Use an All-Butter Crust (here).

Make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken and doubling the

cauliflower or adding broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, butternut
squash, corn, or small cooked potatoes.

Use about 3 cups of cubed or shredded leftover rotisserie chicken