Peerless Potpies
The origin of the name “potpie” is quite logical. These
hearty dishes began as pies that cooked in a pot over an
open hearth. The “pie” part of the name comes from the
crust that covered the top of the pot and sealed in the
flavorful sauce during cooking.
Fast forward to the present, when we have reliable ovens
to bake potpies evenly and quickly. Potpies still have a crisp
topping and a moist hot filling; there’s no bottom crust, so
no soggy base. The only requirement for baking dishes is
that they’re ovenproof and large enough to hold generous
quantities of fillings. And the fillings can be just about any
combination of ingredients, from vegetables or seafood, to
chicken and meat. Crusts, or toppings, are not limited to
flaky pie dough, but as the recipes here demonstrate, can
vary from the traditional pie version to crumbs, biscuits,
and phyllo pastry. No matter what crust you use, it’s sure to
provide a pleasing contrast of texture to the steamy filling.
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