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CHICKEN POT PIE (Potpie / Bott Boi) SERVES 6 to 8 This recipe for Chicken Pot Pie, which my family spelled 'Potpie', is an old Pennsylvania Dutch family favorite, called Bott Boi in PA German. Sometimes we get lazy and use packaged pot pie noodles, but homemade are so much better. By the way, after several years of living in the south, we discovered that the southern dish called 'Chicken and Pastry' is almost identical to this PA Dutch version. 'Pot Pie'' in many regions is often a meat and vegetable dish covered with a pastry dough and baked in the oven. And then there is Chicken and Dumplings, which is the same as 'Chicken Pot Pie' and 'Chicken and Pastry' except that dumplings are substituted for the pastry dough. Are you totally confused? Whatever you call it, it is superb! INGREDIENTS 2 quarts water One 3 to 3-1/2 pound chicken 1 celery rib 1 medium onion 1 medium carrot 1 bay leaf Salt and pepper to taste 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 2 medium potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices Potpie dough (see below) 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 3 tablespoons flour blended with 3 tablespoons cup cold water (optional, for thickening) Cook chicken in simmering water with celery, carrot, 1 onion, bay leaf, salt and pepper until tender, about 1 hour. Remove chicken from broth. When cool enough to handle, remove chicken from bones, discard skin, and pull apart or cut into bite-size pieces. Strain the broth and skim off most of fat. Taste broth for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 4-quart pot. Add the reserved chicken. Gradually layer the potpie dough squares into the boiling liquid, one-by-one, alternating with layers of the onion and potato slices, gently pushing down each layer until covered with the broth. Reduce heat and cover pot. Simmer, stirring gently on occasion to prevent dough from clumping together, until dough is thoroughly cooked, about 20 minutes. Stir in parsley, cover and simmer an additional 5 minutes. (If desired, add flour and water paste to thicken broth at this time. Stir into broth very well to combine.) Serve immediately.

NOTES ABOUT DOUGHS: I have included two versions of potpie dough. The first, Grandmom's, is traditional. It is really an egg noodle dough. The second, my Mom's, is slightly fluffier, and more like what she remembers my other Grandmother making. Both are very good. Mom's is a little easier to make. However, you could use a really good fresh, frozen or dried store-bought potpie dough, about 1 pound. Either homemade dough can be made several hours ahead, lightly dusted with flour, and placed in layers, separated by waxed or parchment paper, on baking sheets in the refrigerator until needed.

GRANDMOM'S POTPIE DOUGH

• 2-1/2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon cold water

Stir together the baking mix and milk, adding more baking mix or milk as needed to make a soft dough, but stiff enough to roll out. Roll dough on a surface lightly floured with more baking mix into about a 1/8-inch sheet. Cut into 2-inch squares. Set aside until needed. (Place in single layers and separate with waxed or parchment paper.)

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SIMILAR OR RELATED RECIPES Stewed Chicken with Noodles Chicken and Dumplings Chicken and Corn Chowder Turkey-Vegetable Pie Additional Poultry Recipes Additional Pennsylvania Dutch Recipes

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