Chicken Pot Pie - flour

Method

• To make the pastry: Combine the flour, salt and lard in a mixing bowl.
• Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut the flour and lard together, reducing the lard to pieces about the size of large peas.
• Add the ice water, mix together and gather the mass into a ball.
• The mixture should be quite moist and pliable, but not sticky.
• If sticky, knead in a little more flour.
• Cover the pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or until firm.
• Divide the pastry in half and roll each piece out on a floured board to about 1/8-inch thickness and about 12 inches in diameter.
• Fit one into a 9-inch shallow Pyrex pie dish, trimming the excess.
• Reserve the other pastry circle for the top.
• Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper and place them, skin side up, in a small roasting pan.
• Bake for 35 minutes on the top rack of the oven.
• Remove from the oven and cool.
• Remove any fat from the pan and de glaze the cooking juices with 1/4 cup of water.
• Set aside.
• Remove all the meat from the legs and discard the skin and bones.
• Dice the meat and set aside (you should have about 2 heaping cups).
• Melt the butter in a skillet.
• Add the carrots, leeks, mushrooms, 1/2 cup water, thyme and a pinch of salt.
• Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and let the vegetables sweat for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes.
• Then stir in 3/4 cup of milk and the deglazed cooking juices.
• Raise the heat and allow the mixture to thicken, stirring constantly.
• Reduce the heat and simmer another 3 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chicken and the peas, adjusting the seasonings.
• Pour the mixture into the pastry shell.
• Cover with the remaining circle of dough, trim off the excess and press the edges gently with the tines of a fork to seal.
• Combine the egg with the remaining milk and brush over the entire surface of the pie.
• Cut a small hole in the center of the dough and bake for 50 minutes or until brown on top.
• Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.