Recipe: Pastry Toppings for Pot Pies

Use a basic pie crust pastry: This makes enough for a top-crusted pot pie only.
If you want to line the bottom/sides of pan, you need to double pastry recipe (not the salt portion)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teasp. salt
1/3 cup, plus 1 tablespoon shortening, or lard (which browns very fast) or use the chicken fat that is congealed.
2 to 3 Tablespoons cold water (or cold chicken stock)

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl, cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Preshape the crust into a flatten, but oblong piece, place between two sheets of plastic wrap, roll out to desired dimensions to fit the top of the baking dish, cut slashes in top to release steam when baking.

HINT: You may want to brush crust with milk or beaten egg (with water added) and sprinkle on some sesame seeds or poppy seeds, or a mixture of seeds you like for added flavor.

You may (also) cut pastry into strips and put on top of assembled chicken pie, as a lattice work, it is easier to tell when the contents of the pie are heated and bubbling up.

A recipe, for using pre-packed stuffing mix will also follow.