Holiday Ham Pot Pies

Recipe View 5 mins Melt butter with a pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté onions, carrot, and celery until onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until mixture begins to turn a light golden brown, about 2 minutes more.

Recipe View 20 mins Pour in chicken broth, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add cream, ham, rosemary, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir in a splash of water, and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in peas, taste, and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and let cool. Refrigerate until needed.

Recipe View 1 mins Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a sheet pan with foil. Stir salt into flour in a bowl, and make a well in the center.

Recipe View 10 mins Cut butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water, mixing until dough just comes together.

Recipe View 2 mins Press dough together in the bowl, and transfer to a work surface. Press and knead briefly to form a ball of dough, then shape into a disc. At any point if the dough is too dry, sprinkle over some ice water to adjust the texture.

Recipe View 2 mins Flour both sides of dough, and roll into a circle about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 4 pieces; you will work with 1 piece at a time. Place remaining dough pieces on a plate, and cover until ready to use.

Recipe View 3 mins Cut a circle slightly larger than the size of the ramekin you are using from 1 piece of dough; set aside. Gather up the rest of the piece of dough into a ball; press into a disc. Again, roll out 1/8-inch thick, and place into the ramekin. Press firmly into the bottom and sides of the ramekin, trying to maintain an even thickness, and make sure the dough extends up and over the top edge.

Recipe View 1 mins Fill to the top with cooled ham mixture.

Recipe View 2 mins Whisk egg and the 1 teaspoon water together in a small bowl to make egg wash. Brush egg wash around top edge of dough in the ramekin. Lightly brush the round top piece with egg wash, and center dough, egg-wash-side down, over the filling. Press to seal edges of top and bottom crust together.

Recipe View 2 mins Trim crust to the edge of the ramekin with a knife. For a decorative crimp, press the tines of a fork around the crust edges; this will also help to seal edges firmly. Brush top crust with egg wash.

Recipe View 5 mins Make a hole in the center with the tip of a knife to vent steam. Repeat the process to make 3 more pies with remaining dough and filling. Transfer finished pot pies to the prepared sheet pan.

Recipe View 1 hrs Bake in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown, and the sauce is bubbling out of the hole in the center, about 1 hour.

Recipe View 1 mins Serve hot, eaten with a spoon from the ramekin, or let cool to warm, and remove whole pot pie from ramekin, to eat with your hands. These are also great eaten at room temperature or cold.