I can't put into words how delicious and fairly easy this non-traditional fall pot pie turns out. I can always judge the success of a dish by how many leftovers are lingering after the first meal. Let's just say there was one small serving left of this pot pie that should have had at least three to four more slices lingering in the pie plate.
I originally acquired this recipe from a Martha Stewart Baby Issue when I was pregnant with my first born who is now 13.5! I have adapted it a bit, most considerably, the melt-in-your-mouth topping.
Fall's Best Apple Sausage Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuit Topping
Crust
2 cups plus 1 Tab. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I use coconut oil instead)
1 cup sharp grated cheddar cheese (you can use regular cheese as well)
14 Tab. milk (I have substituted many dairy items here, most favorably half and half cream)
Pot Pie Filling
1 pound fresh chicken sausage (you can use ground chicken here instead or regular sausage if you prefer, but we like chicken), casings removed, filling crumbled or chopped
1 small onion diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1-2 carrots chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1-2 celery stalks chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1-2 apples (I have used Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, McIntosh), cored and cut into 1 inch pieces with the skin either on or off
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme (I usually use a stalk or two of fresh thyme because I have it growing)
3/4 cup homemade or low-sodium chicken stock
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In med. bowl, mix together 2 cups flour the baking powder and 1 tsp. of the salt. Using a pastry cutter (forks or two knives), cut in shortening until dough resembles coarse meal. Stir in grated cheese. Add milk and stir until just combined. Do not overwork the dough at this step. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, if you like to multitask as I do, cook chicken sausage in a skillet over medium heat until cooked through, at least 3 minutes. Remove sausage with a spoon. Add onion, carrot, and celery to the skillet with the sausage drippings. Cook for 3 minutes. Add apple and cook about 6 minutes more or until the vegetables soften. Add remaining 1/2 tsp. of salt, pepper and thyme.
Add 1 Tab. flour, cook, stirring one minute. Add stock, scraping bottom of pan to loosen browned bits. Pour mixture into bowl with sausage. Stir and season to taste.
3. Pour mixture into pie plate, ovenproof skillet or casserole. Drop biscuit dough onto sausage mixture. Bake until crust is golden brown, 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees.
