One Crust or Two?

“Authenticity” in regional dishes is hard to define and, therefore, hard to defend. Still, when I saw, not long ago, an “updated” recipe for Pennsylvania Dutch chicken pot pie that called for shiitake mushrooms, fava beans and a single top crust made from frozen puff pastry, well! Talk about being ready to spit nails. I marched around muttering for days.

As it turns out, my ire was only partly justified. Chicken pot pie isn’t really Pennsylvania Dutch at all. Pot pies have a long history in most Northern European cuisines, and if they were a specialty anywhere, it was in the British Isles.

And a pot pie must be made in a pot that is completely lined with crust. Originally, this crust was not eaten; it was there to keep the taste of the iron pot away from the food.

This isn’t a pot pie. It is, however, very good.

CHICKEN WITH DUMPLINGS

1 large onion, stuck with 4 cloves

1/2 bay leaf

4 or 5 sprigs lovage or 2 inner celery stalks, including leaves

1 (4-pound) chicken

1/4 cup butter, softened, optional

1/4 cup flour, optional

3 large carrots, peeled and cut in scant 1/2-inch chunks

2 medium potatoes, cut in generous 1/2-inch chunks

Kernels and milk from 3 ears corn (about 1 1/2 cups), optional

Herbed Dumpling Batter

Salt

Whipping cream, sour cream, or yogurt, optional

Combine 8 cups water, onion, bay leaf and lovage in heavy, shallow, non-reactive kettle roughly 7 inches tall and 12 inches in diameter. Bring liquid to boil, then reduce heat to barely simmer.

Divide chicken in 7 pieces: whole breast, back cut in half, wings, legs including thighs. Break breast so it lies flat and add meat to kettle, putting backs and dark meat in first, breast on top, skin side up. Cover and simmer 1 hour.

Remove breast and wings and set aside on flat platter to cool, leaving legs and back to cook uncovered until tender, about 20 minutes longer. Put legs and back with breast and strain liquid into tall, narrow, heat-proof bowl. Discard solids. Cover and refrigerate both meat and broth as soon as cool. (Recipe can be prepared to this point up to 2 days ahead.)

Skin and bone meat. Cut into large chunks and set aside, covered.

Skim as much fat as possible from broth. Return to kettle and bring to simmer. To thicken filling, add optional mixture butter and flour in tablespoon-sized bits, beating in with wire whisk. Add carrots and potatoes and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes or until vegetables are barely tender.

Add chicken and corn to pot, heat up, then season to taste with salt. Drop Herbed Dumpling Batter by heaping tablespoons onto stew, leaving generous 1 inch between for expansion. Heat large pot water or broth over medium heat until barely simmering. Drop in remaining dumpling batter by heaping tablespoons. (Liquid must be kept to bare simmer. Dumplings will come apart if it boils.) Cover both stew and dumplings in water and cook very gently 18 minutes without lifting lid, lest steam escape and dumplings become heavy.

Dumplings are done when inserted wood pick emerges clean. Lift dumplings out of liquid with slotted spoon and drain. Serve stew and dumplings at once in deep, warmed bowls, accompanied by whipping cream. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Herbed Dumpling Batter

1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lard or butter

1/3 cup minced parsley

2 to 3 tablespoons mixed minced strong herbs such as marjoram, thyme, savory, sage, or tarragon

1 egg

About 1/2 cup milk

Re-sift flour with baking powder and salt into shallow mixing bowl. Rub in lard with fingertips until evenly distributed and mixture resembles meal. Stir in herbs.

Break egg into measuring cup and beat well. Add enough milk to bring liquid level to 2/3 cup. Stir liquid into dry ingredients, using as few strokes as possible.

Note: Dumplings cooked in broth or water can also be served, topped with melted butter or light tomato sauce, as side dish with plain roast or grilled meat.