Mom's Easy Hot Water Pie Crust and Toppings

Mom's pie crust was a staple in the Ahlborn kitchen. It was the base for all the family favorite sweet and savory pie-related meals we enjoyed: deconstructed chicken pot pie, 4th of July cream pies, Evan's annual fresh strawberry birthday pie, and mom's famous apple tarts. I've spent a lot of time this year perfected my execution of this otherwise simple recipe and it comes down to the same things my mom taught me when I started making it: don't over mix and do roll it out thin!

This crust recipe is much less fussy than traditional cold pie crusts that use ice water and butter (or shortening) and require frequent chilling. You still need to prepare and bake it promptly, but a warm kitchen won't be an issue.

The finished crust is slightly salty and not at all sweet, and it bakes up very flaky and tender. Mom rarely made actual pie crusts and instead rolled out sheets and sheets of pie crust squares that could be dished out individually onto a plate and topped with a savory gravy or a creamy pudding and whipped cream.

Mom's Easy Hot Water Pie Crust

Ingredients:
6 cups all-purpose flour*
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a heat safe container (I use a four cup Pyrex measuring cup) combine the oil, water, and vinegar. Cover with a paper towel and microwave on high for 90 seconds.

In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together until incorporated. Make a well in the flour and carefully pour in the hot liquids. Stir gently with a fork just until combined. The dough may look slightly marbled. This is okay.

Divide the dough into three equal portions and roll each one out into a thin 14x18 inch rectangle on a larger piece of foil or parchment paper. To prevent the dough from tearing I place a sheet of plastic over the dough while I roll it out. You can use plastic wrap, or like my mom, cut the sealed end off a plastic bread bag and slice it down the middle to make a large thicker sheet of plastic.

Trim the edges with a pizza or pastry cutter and cut the rectangle into smaller squares. I usually end up with 24-32 squares per sheet. Prick the dough all over with a fork to prevent bubbles during baking.

Bake for 9-11 minutes until lightly golden brown. Cool completely on a cooling rack before serving.

*Mom always used half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour for her pie crust. This makes the crust  a little healthier and more filling, but I'm often in too big of a hurry to pull out my wheat grinder to make some fresh soft white wheat flour.

Savory Chicken Pot Pie Gravy
This is my adaptation of Mom's chicken pot pie gravy

Ingredients:
1 cup peeled and sliced carrots ( I often grab a big handful of baby carrots from the fridge and chop these up.)
1 stalk of celery sliced thin
1 small onion, chopped small
2 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups strong chicken broth or stock**
1 cup whole milk or half-and-half
salt and pepper
1-2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken (I always use ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken)
1 cup frozen peas

Saute the carrots, celery, and onion in a little olive oil in a large saucepan until onions are translucent and the carrots are tender, around 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Set the veggies aside, and in the same pan melt the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the butter to make a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, over medium heat until golden brown.

Gradually add the chicken broth a cup at a time and whisking until smooth after each addition. Stir in the milk. Bring the gravy to a light rolling boil for 1-2 minutes to thicken.

Reduce heat to a simmer and add the cooked vegetables, the chicken, and the peas. Add salt a pepper to taste and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot gravy over pie crust squares.

**Boxed or canned chicken broth rarely has enough flavor to create a rich gravy. I make my own stock Mom's way from a rotisserie chicken with the steps below. (Peter thinks the process is incredibly gross, but it really tastes way better than anything store bought.)

1. Remove the meat from the chicken and set aside.
2. Place the remaining bones and skin in a large stock pot.
3. Add 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon and 4 cups of water to the pot.
4. Bring the contents to a boil and then immediately reduce it to a low simmer. Simmer for 1-2 hours.
5. Remove the bones and pour the remaining broth through a fine mesh strainer. 
6. At this point you can pour the broth into a quart jar and tuck it away in the fridge for later. The fat will rise to the top and set up in a disk that's easy to scoop away later. Because of the higher gelatin content of homemade broth, it will set up too until you warm it in the microwave or on the stove top. If you want to use the broth right away, you'll need to skim off the hot fat with a spoon before adding it to the gravy.

Fresh Strawberry Pie Topping

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
1 box of strawberry Danish Dessert (find it by the Jello) prepared per pie glaze directions with 1 3/4 cups water
2 cups heavy cream whipped
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Cool the prepared Danish Dessert glaze to room temperature and stir in the sliced strawberries. Whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Serve the strawberry topping over pie crust squares and top with homemade whipped cream.