Random Roots and Chicken Pot Pie

Pot Pie is a multi-step process. It can sometimes feel a bit daunting but so worth it in the end.

1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds
1 onion, unpeeled and halved
3 carrots
3 Bay leaves
Several sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon peppercorns
6 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
2 leeks, split, sliced and rinsed
2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 medium rutabaga, peeled and chopped into 3/4 inch pieces
2 small bulbs celery root
1 cup dry white wine
Whole Wheat Pastry, recipe below
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Rinse chicken and place in a large roomy pot. Add about 8 cups of cold water, onion halves, 1 carrot, bay leaves, half the thyme and pepper corns. Set pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, skim off any scum that comes to the surface, until stock is very flavorful and chicken is starting to fall away from bones, about 1 1/2 hours. Strain stock. Reserve liquid, discard vegetables and set chicken aside to cool.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large sauce pan over medium low heat. Whisk in flour. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir paste around in bottom of pan until it is just lightly toasted, about 3 -5 minutes. Measure out 4 cups of hot broth. Slowly add broth to saucepan (change back to whisk after the first few tablespoons have been added) and whisk until all the liquid is added and a nice thick sauce has formed. Season well with several pinches of sea salt and a few cracks black pepper. Set aside to cool. Sauce will thicken as it cools. If it appears thicker than you might imagine wanting to eat (keep in mind it will thin out some when added to cooked vegetables) whisk in a bit more stock.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Peel and chop remaining carrot into 3/4 inch pieces. Add chopped carrots, sliced leeks, parsnips, rutabaga, and celery root. Season well with sea salt and pepper and add all but a sprig or two of remaining thyme. Add white wine and let bubble up. Cook vegetables, stirring often, until vegetables are just soft - just on the edge of being cooked through - about 12 - 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Shred cooled chicken into small pieces, discard skin and bones.

Heat oven to 425. Remove prepared pastry from refrigerator and let stand a few minutes to make rolling easy. Lightly flour parchment and roll dough into a nice circle - about 1/8th of inch thick and large enough to line a deep baking dish with several inches over hang.

Combine cooled sauce, vegetables and chicken. Stir well so all ingredients evenly distributed. Season well with salt and pepper and stir again. Spoon mixture into pastry lined baking dish. Fold pastry up and over filling, creating a rustic galette with just a small circle of filling open at the center. Whisk together egg yolk and cream and brush egg wash over pastry. If pastry is starting to feel warm - set whole pie in refrigerator to chill. Place remaining few sprigs thyme in center. Bake until pastry is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and continue baking until filling bubbles up from the center, another 30 minutes or so. Serve hot.

Whole Wheat Pastry

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup ice water

Combine all-purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour in work bowl of food processor. Add salt and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse just to form a coarse grainy mix. Slowly add water, pulsing as you go, until pastry just comes together. You may need slightly less water all depending on your flour and the weather. Turn dough out and pat into a nice round disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until needed, at least 2 hours. Pastry can be made several days in advance - freeze not using within a few days time.