CRAWFISH PIE
6 servings
Crawfish pie can be found with a single or double crust, or as hand pies. We have opted for a single crust on top of the pie for convenience’s sake, but feel free to experiment to suit your own taste (you will need to decrease the liquid by at least half and cool the filling before making hand pies). If you are itching to make this pie but cannot find crawfish, substitute peeled and deveined shrimp.
Prepare:
- ½ recipe Basic Pie or Pastry Dough, or All-Butter Pie or Pastry Dough
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat until shimmering:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Add and sauté until soft, 6 to 8 minutes:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 celery rib, chopped
- ½ green bell pepper, chopped
Stir in and sauté 1 minute more:
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Add and stir until the vegetables are coated with flour:
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Stir in:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken stock or broth or clam juice
Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened. Stir in and cook for 5 minutes:
- 1 pound fresh or thawed frozen crawfish tail meat
Remove from the heat. Roll out the dough into a round large enough to fit into the skillet and place on top of the crawfish, tucking in any overhanging edges. Cut a few slits in the crust and brush with:
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.