I, Katie, decided that I really wanted to make pie, and talked my twinsie, Laura, another GFOP, into letting us cook at her apartment which has a way bigger kitchen.
The process started with a careful perusal of recipe options. Organ meats were considered and rejected, although we did learn that chicken livers come in little tubs. Eventually we went with the “Creamy Chicken, Leek, and Ham Pie” from the BBC website - we figured if the BBC endorses it, it’s gotta be legit. Although searching the BBC’s recipes for pie yields shocking numbers of fruit pies! Totally unacceptable. (Also… BBC recipes? Our simple American understanding is that it is a broadcasting corporation!)
This was the only thing worth photographing at the grocery store. Also the only thing that didn’t have hordes of angry Brooklynites in the shot. (PS it is actually spelled “colossal”.)
We were extremely focused and only bought the necessities - pie ingredients and two boxes of holiday popems. Focus.
Right down to business when we got back - watching some curling and tearing into the popems. (Entenmann’s, we are more than ready to discuss sponsorship possibilities.)
I call this “Woman with a Leek.”
Chopping, chopping. Also preparing the pie crust, aka “defrosting.” For our first savory pie we thought we’d better not push our luck by trying to make pie crust as well.
Laura possibly doesn’t have any kitchen tongs.
Adding leeks to melted butter. This is the point where everything started smelling awesome as fuck.
This is also the point where we decided to put on some SOCC-ER gear.
Perpetual astonishment when sauce actually thickens
Laura put on her USWNT training top to add some patriotism to the event.
IS NOTHING EASY?
Studio reenactment of this moment:
HAM.
The excitement in the kitchen at this point was palpable. We did a little bit of stirring after this picture was taken.
Making the square pie crust fit the circular pie pan. Also… HAM.
Unbeknownst to us, at this very moment the other half of the pie crust was melting into a sticky mass.
So glorious!!
Even the spoon is excited!! (HAM, always lurking. Always watching.)
Still Life with HAM.
An extremely light touch separated the sticky, melty layers. We were not about to let the enormous difficulties of pre-made frozen puff pastry triumph over our pie!
Katie pinching the crust like the mad scientist she is.
Possibly hard to tell, but for ventilation we cut a blazer-shaped hole. (Note HAM.)
20 seconds left! Very hard to keep Katie from just diving into the oven at this point.
PIIIIIIIIEEEE
PIIIIIIIEE
Friggin high quality food photography right there.
BEST MEAL EVERRRR!!!
Pie devastation.
Basically, what we’re trying to say is we welcome our new savory pie overlords.
