Crust

• 2 sticks / 226 grams unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 

• 240 grams all purpose flour

• 114 grams fine ground cornmeal

• 5 grams fine sea salt salt

• 150 grams ice water, plus more as needed

Makes two pie crusts. One for the bottom and one for the top. 

Filling

• 1 15-oz can Black Eyed Peas

• 3 cups leftover cooked collards

• Homemade gravy (recipe below)

Simple Gravy

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

• 2 cups chicken stock

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Pie Dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, and salt. Using your hands or pastry blender cut the butter into the flour until the butter is about the size of peas. As you cut the butter into the flour, be sure to toss the butter around so that the butter pieces are always coated in flour. It’s important to keep everything as cold as possible so if the butter starts to get soft, put the whole bowl in the fridge for 10-15 minutes so the butter can chill. Once the butter is cut into the flour, make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the minimum amount of ice water. Using a fork or your fingers, toss the mixture together until the water is well distributed. To see if the dough is hydrated enough, take some of the mixture and squeeze it in your hand. If it sticks together, it’s ready to go. If it’s still dry and crumbly, continue adding water 1 tsp at a time until the dough comes together, being careful not to overwork the dough or let the butter get warm. Once the dough comes together, place it on a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into two using a bench scraper or knife. Shape each half into a disk with your hands and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the fridge for 2 hours. Anytime throughout this process that you think the butter is getting too warm, put everything in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to let it chill through.

For the gravy:

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium low. Once melted, whisk in 2 Tablespoons of all purpose flour. Slowly pour in the chicken stock and whisk until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let it cool completely. 

For the Pot Pie

Roll out pie dough to fit in your pie dish with about 1 inch of overhang. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to chill while mixing the filling. In a large bowl mix together the black eyed peas, collards, and cooled gravy. The filling needs to be completely cool before filling the pie. Once the mixture is cool, pour into the prepared pie crust. Cover with plastic wrap and put it back in the fridge while rolling out the top crust. cover with the second crust. Roll the second pie crust until it’s big enough to cover your pie plate with a 1 inch overhang. Remove the filled pie from the fridge. Cover it with the top cust. Pinch the edges of the two crusts together to seal them. Then roll the dough under itself until it touches the pie plate edge. Crimp the edges to secure the pie crust. On the top of the pie, cut vents with a paring knife. Bake for 30 minutes at 425, then reduce the heat to 375 and continue cooking for another 20-25 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.