Shanny’s Favorite Meat Pie (w/gluten free option)

Note: for those of you averse to using flour, you can top the pie with potatoes smashed with liberal amounts of butter, then sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Parmesan-cheddar pie crust (see recipe, below)
6 tablespoons butter or lard
2 cups diced vegetables (onions, green peppers, carrots, peas, corn, or greenbeans…even lima beans will all work). Leftover vegetables are fine.
1/2 cup pan drippings and/or leftover gravy -- use more if you’ve got it, up to a cup. If you don’t, simply double the amount of butter.
2 tablespoons flour or arrowroot
2 cups meat stock
¼ teaspoon mace
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, or 3/4 teaspoons fresh
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups diced leftover meat
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter or lard in a skillet over a medium flame. Sauté the fresh vegetables. Once they’re crisp-tender, feel free to add in any leftover vegetables as well, and cookuntil they are warmed through. Remove them from the pan and set aside.

Add the butter and pan drippings or leftover gravy. Heat, stirring constantly, until the butter has melted and is no longer foaming. Sprinkle the flour or arrowrooton top and whisk thoroughly until a paste forms. Slowly pour in the meat stockand bring to a boil. Reduce the flame intensity and simmer until the sauce is thick, about 7 minutes.

Mix in the mace, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir in the diced cooked meat and the vegetables, then pour into a deep-sided pie dish or 9X9 baking pan. Roll out the pie crust on a floured surface until it is 1/4inch thick, then carefully lay it over the top of the meat and vegetables. Don’t fret if the crust crumbles. Just work it backtogether and slide it on top. Crimp the edges, then poke a few holes on thesurface. Whisk the egg yolk with the water, then brush it over the crust of thepie. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned.

Parmesan Cheddar Pie Crust

I often double this recipe, then store the extra crust in the freezer foranother use.

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
¼ pound (one stick) butter
¾ cup cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup ground walnuts

Combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Dice the butter, then use a pastry cutter or fork to blend it into the flour mixture. Using your hands, thoroughly mix in the cheese and nuts until the mixture forms a solid ball. Chill untilready to use, but allow it to soften at room temperature before rolling it out.

Note: This dough will be quite crumbly when you roll it out. Don’t panic. Nothing has gone wrong. Just push it back together and keep working it.

From Shannon Hayes http://www.grassfedcooking.com/articles/prudentcarnivore1.html