2 c. sifted flour, sifted before measuring
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. shortening
1/2 c. boiling water
1 tbs. lemon juice
1 egg yolk, unbeaten

Sift the dry ingredients together, mix well and
set aside. Cut shortening into pieces as small as
you can, and add boiling water.
Stir together lemon juice and egg yolk.
Add to melted shortening.
Combine with the dry ingredients.
Thoroughly mix and chill for at least 3-4 hours.
Pat out 3/4 of the pastry to line casserole.
Enough for one double-crust pastry shell or
one 2-qt. maximum casserole.

I have become adept at handling the dough
in that I have learned to pat it out between
two pieces of waxed paper prior to chilling
and then to shape it to conform to the casserole
while it is still in the waxed paper.
Finally, I place the whole thing over the container
and peel the paper off when needed.
After filling casserole with chosen ingredients,
pat out remainder of pastry and use it
for top crust. Bake at 425°, 25 min.
TIP: The dough will be STICKY.
Flour your hands well prior to handling dough.

FILLING:
2 1/2 c. chicken, cooked and cubed
(3 lb. chicken or 2 lb. of boneless breasts)
4 c. chicken broth, from cooking chicken
or canned
3 carrots, cut crosswise into 1" slices
3/4 lb. small new potatoes, quartered
2 lg. celery stalks, cut crosswise
into 1" slices
1 onion, chopped
3/4 stick unsalted butter
6 tbs. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. each dried thyme (crumbled)
and nutmeg (freshly grated--to taste)
1/2 c. fresh parsley leaves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
sliced water chestnuts, optional
fresh or canned mushrooms to taste, optional

Boil and bone the chicken.
Cut into bite-sized pieces.
In saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil and
add the carrots, potatoes and celery.
Simmer the vegetables, uncovered, for 10-25 min.
or until they are tender. Transfer the vegetables
with slotted spoon to a large bowl, reserving broth.
reserving the broth. Add the chicken to the bowl.
Set aside. In another saucepan, saute' the onion
in the butter over moderately low heat,
stirring until it is softened.

Add the flour to make a golden-brown roux,
stirring for 3 min. Add 3 c. of the reserved broth
in a stream and bring the mixture to a boil,
whisking all the while. Add the thyme and
simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 5 min.
Combine and add the nutmeg, parsley, salt and
pepper to taste. Pour sauce over the chicken mixture
and stir gently. The filling may be made a day
in advance and kept covered in refrigerator.
Just be sure to bring the filling to room temperature
before you assemble chicken pie.

When ready to assemble the Chicken Pie,
line baking dishes of choice with pastry.
Use a 2-qt. shallow baking dish or
four 2-cup shallow baking dishes.
Carefully spoon in filling.
Cover top of baking dish with pastry crust
and secure bottom crust by crimping.
Pierce top in several places to permit steam to escape
and bake at 425°, 30 min., or until crust
is golden-brown and contents are bubbly.
YIELD: 8 ample servings.
TIP: 3 c. Bechamel Sauce can be used
instead of the roux and chicken broth.
simply combine Bechamel with butter, sauteed onions,
thyme and nutmeg. Pour over chicken mixture
and gently mix to combine.