CRAWFISH PIE

Louisiana Crawfish Pie
Main Course
Serves 6

For the Crawfish Filling:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/3 cup diced bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped celery
1/2 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
dash cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon thyme
2 lbs crawfish tail, fat included
1 oz brandy
2 oz heavy cream

For the Pie:
2½ cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup ice water

For the Crawfish Filling

In a heavy bottomed Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat and add flour, cook (stirring constantly) until roux turns golden brown. Add all the vegetables and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes until vegetables are soft. Add brandy and heavy cream and cook over low heat for 10 more minutes. Add salt, black pepper, cayenne, thyme and parsley and fold in crawfish tails. Check for seasoning and cook just until warmed through, approximately 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Pie

In a large bowl sift flour and mix in the salt. Add chilled butter and with a pastry cutter, work in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cold water and mix until dough sticks together. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap and refrigerate. When properly chilled remove the dough and on a lightly floured surface roll out two 1/8-inch circles, one 10½-inch wide and one 12-inches wide. Line a 9 inch pie tin with the larger circle of crust and let the crust hang over the edge. Fill with the prepared filling and place the smaller circle of dough on top. Press and seal the edges and pinch together the edges to form a fluted rim. Cut eight one inch slits radiating from the center of the pie and bake in a preheated 350˚F oven for 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown.