Sausage, Apple and Leek Pot Pie with Apple Cider Sauce
Ingredients:
1.5 pounds Italian sausage
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced
5 medium apples, cored and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon thyme, finely chopped
2 cups apple cider
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper
1 pie crust, recipe follows
1 egg, whisked together with 1 teaspoon of water
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large, high sided pan over medium heat. Add the sausage to the pan and cook, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and browning.
Add the leek to the pan, along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grindings of freshly ground pepper. Cook until the leek is softened, stirring often. Add the apple to the pan, stir to combine, and cook until softened and browning in spots, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, and another 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook for another minute, then pour in the apple cider. Bring to a simmer and hold there for 15 minutes, or until the apple cider is slightly reduced and thickened.
While the apple cider reduces, preheat the oven to bake at 350 F.
Remove your pie dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured board or countertop. Roll out into a round shape that is slightly larger than the pan you are cooking the sausage/apple mixture in. Place on a baking sheet and put back in the refrigerator until ready to use.
When the apple cider is reduced, turn the heat to low and pour in the heavy cream. Stir to combine, then stir in the cheese until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed. Remove from the heat.
Place the rolled out pie dough on top of the sausage/apple mixture pan and crimp the edges with your fingers. Cut 5 slits, about 1" each in the pie dough. Brush the pie dough with the egg wash and season the top with salt and pepper. Move to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Single Pie Dough
Ingredients:
8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup ice water
Directions:
Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse 2-3 times to mix everything together. Open the top of the bowl and sprinkle the butter on top of the flour. Close the lid and pulse 5-10 times or until the butter has mad the mixture look like sand. With the machine running, slowly add the ice water (not the ice!) 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture starts to come together and looks shaggy, but not wet. Open the mixer and pinch the dough, if it holds together when pinched it is ready. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured counter or board and gather it together into a ball. Flatten it into a square and fold it over itself then flatten into a square again 3-4 times, gathering any pieces that fall off as you fold. Flatten the dough into a disk and cover in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
