Tuna And/or Vegetable Pot Pie

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chilled butter flavor crisco (crisco sticks work best)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup ice cold water
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 (6 ounce) cans albacore tuna in water, well drained
• 1 1/2 cups thawed frozen vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, or corn work best)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced mushroom
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup diced shallots or 1/2 cup onion
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 425 degrees f.
• 2 make crust first.
• 3 in a large bowl, mix flour and salt thoroughly.
• 4 add shortening and cover with flour.
• 5 using 2 butter knives or pastry cutter (i've also used a waffle-bottom potato masher with excellent results) cut up shortening into flour until it resembles chunky cornmeal.
• 6 create well in center and sparingly add ice cold water to mixture stirring with spatula gently between pourings.
• 7 do this only until dough starts to form a loose ball.
• 8 it may not be necessary to use all of the water.
• 9 turn dough out onto a large piece of wax paper or plastic wrap and form ball using the paper or wrap to do so and fold closed.
• 10 place in coldest part of refrigerator until ready to use (at least 15 minutes).
• 11 mix all filling ingredients well, except tuna.
• 12 flake tuna with fork into chunks of various sizes, the largest being bite-size and stir into filling mixture.
• 13 *if you wish to omit the tuna for a vegetarian pie, substitute 1 large potato, peeled, cubed and par-boiled for 10 minutes.
• 14 take dough out of frige.
• 15 on a well-floured board knead gently 4-5 times until the dough holds together nicely and looks marbleized.
• 16 cut dough in half and roll out 1 half at a time about 3/4" bigger than the pie dish.
• 17 the key to a flaky crust is to handle it as little as possible.
• 18 put bottom half in dish, then filling, then cover with top half.
• 19 crimp edges together using your fingers and make ventilation holes in center using a fork.
• 20 brush top of crust and edges with egg wash (1 egg and 2 tbs water whisked together).
• 21 bake in oven at 425f for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375f and bake another 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
• 22 check every 15 minutes.
• 23 if edges start to brown too much cover them with foil.
• 24 cool 10 minutes before serving.