Chicken Pie with Sourdough Discard Crust

A lightly flaky, buttery crust made with sourdough starter discard.

A pie with a completely different kind of crust. Lightly flaky, with just the right touch of sourdough tang — flavor and texture that impress, taking the classic chicken pie to a whole new level.

The best part about this recipe is that it's easy to make and uses ingredients we always have in the pantry — everything we want, right?

I get really disappointed when I buy a product that claims to be a buttery dough/recipe and it actually has no butter in it at all… It's common for them to use margarine to cut costs, but the two things have nothing to do with each other.

Using real butter guarantees a flavor and texture that margarine just can't achieve.

Reason enough to want to make our own buttery pie crust.

Rich in flavor and texture, without being complicated to make!

And there's more — the dough is neutral (neither sweet nor savory), which gives us endless filling options, including using it as a base for delicious quiches.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cup sourdough starter discard
1/4 cup water
About 400g (14 oz) shredded chicken
1 cup creamy requeijão (or cream cheese)
1 egg yolk, for brushing

Method

1
Sauté and prepare the chicken filling however you like — onion, garlic, salt, pepper, sweet paprika, a spoonful of tomato paste, parsley, corn, etc. Be careful not to leave the filling watery; too much liquid will make the bottom crust soggy and give it an unpleasant texture.
2
In a bowl, mix the flour with the salt and sugar
3
Next, work the butter into the dry mix using your fingertips until it turns into a crumbly mixture with small pea-sized bits of butter
4
Add the sourdough discard and mix until the dough comes together.
5
If you notice the moisture from the discard alone isn't enough, gradually add water only to the dry parts that won't come together, and keep kneading until the dough forms a ball.
6
Divide the dough in half and shape into two discs; wrap in plastic film and let rest in the fridge for anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 days.
7
After resting for your desired time, roll out the dough into a circle and line the baking dish. If it tears, no problem — just press it back together with your fingers.
8
Add the chicken filling (or any filling you like) and spoon dollops of creamy requeijão over the top
9
Roll out the second dough disc and cover the filling, pinching the two layers of dough together at the edge of the dish with your fingers
10
Brush an egg yolk beaten with a little water over the top of the pie to give it color and a crisp crust
11
Make four light slits on top so the pie can breathe while baking, and to decorate
12
Bake in a preheated oven at 190-200°C (375-390°F) until nicely golden. About 40 minutes (keep an eye on it) — every oven is different.