Page 281 - Pie Squared

FILLING

½ pound (225 g) thick cut, smoked bacon, diced (about 1 cup)

¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon chili powder (ancho chile powder, if available)
1 pound (450 g) sirloin tips, cut into 1-inch dice

1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed

2 medium onions (285 g), diced (about 2 cups)

2 medium carrots (140 g), diced (about 1 cup)

2 stalks celery (140 g), diced (about 1 cup)

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup (120 ml) strong black coffee

1½ cups (360 ml) beef stock

¼ cup (15 g) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

For the crust: In the food processor, pulse the flour, lard, butter,
and salt until the fats are in small pieces coated with flour, about 15

times. Add the water and vodka (if using) all at once and process
until the mixture almost forms a ball. Form the dough into a 6- by 4-
inch rectangle using plastic wrap and a bench scraper to firmly press

the dough into a cohesive form. Wrap tightly and refrigerate a
minimum of 4 hours.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to warm
slightly. Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the
other. Roll out the larger piece to 11 by 15 inches and place in the

slab pie pan, pressing it into the corners of the pan and allowing the
excess to drape over the sides. Refrigerate. Roll out the second
piece of dough to 10 by 14 inches, place it on a lightly floured sheet

of parchment, and refrigerate.
For the filling: Slowly brown the bacon over low heat in a heavy-
bottomed Dutch oven or a large, straight-sided skillet. When the
bacon is beginning to brown, stir the flour and chili powder together