Pastry shells form a flaky crust for these exciting gumbo filled pies! Save yourself some time! Prepare the chicken stock ahead and store it in the refrigerator. One pound kielbasa may be substituted for andouille sausage.
INGREDIENTS (for 8 servings):
- 1 (2.5 pound) whole chicken
- 2 quarts water
- 1 onion, quartered
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 pounds fresh or frozen okra, cut into 3/4-inch slices
- 2 (10 ounce) cans whole tomatoes and green chiles
- 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 pound unpeeled, large fresh shrimp
- 2 (17.25 ounce) packages frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
PREPARATION:
BRING chicken, 2 quarts water, quartered onion, and bay leaves to a boil in a Dutch oven. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until chicken is tender.
REMOVE chicken; reserve 1 1/2 cups broth, and discard onion and bay leaves. Let chicken cool. Skin, bone, and coarsely chop chicken.
COOK flour and oil in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly, 15 to 20 minutes or until roux is chocolate colored. Add bell pepper, chopped onion, and garlic; saute 2 minutes. Add okra, tomatoes and green chiles, sausage, thyme, and reserved 1 1/2 cups broth. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
PEEL and devein shrimp; stir shrimp and chicken into gumbo. Cook just until shrimp turn pink. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool slightly.
ROLL each pastry sheet out on a floured surface. Cut 4 circles out of each sheet of pastry, 1/2 inch larger than rims of individual 2-cup soup crocks. Return pastry to freezer for at least 15 minutes. Cut out decorative leaf shapes from excess pastry strips.
LADLE gumbo into crocks, filling three-fourths full. Brush top edges of pastry circles with beaten egg. Invert and place 1 pastry circle over each bowl, pressing firmly to sides of bowl to seal edges. Arrange decorative leaves on top of pastry. Brush top of each pastry circle and leaves with beaten egg.
BAKE pot pies at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden.
Reprinted with permission of Southern Living® magazine. All rights reserved.