Pi #1 for Pi Day - Chicken Tikka Masala Pie

I've been meaning to experiment with making this pie for a really long time. It was one of the very first pie experimentation ideas that I had. Pi Day is tomorrow and it seemed like a great time to try it out. I tried really hard to make an aesthetically pleasing pie. I like being able to see the filling in the vents. This is pie #1 in honor of Pi Day 2010.

Chicken Tikka Masala Pie

Basic Butter Crust

2 cups of flour

2/3 cup of butter

Enough cold water to hold dough together

1. Chop cold butter into square and work into flour by hand until the texture resembles store bough bread crumbs.

2. Add enough cold water to form dough. Be careful not to over knead. (approximately ¼ cup of water)

3. Put in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before rolling out.

Pie Filling

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cup fat free plain yogurt plus 1 teaspoon flour
2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 cup frozen peas

1. Into a large bowl, grate the garlic and add the lemon juice. Add the garlic, cilantro, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, half the lemon's juice, and 2 tablespoons of yogurt, salt, and pepper. Stir, add chicken to bowl, and set aside to marinate.

2. While the meat is marinating, heat the remaining oil in a heavy, large skillet over low heat. Add chopped onion and cook gently for 10-15 minutes until falling apart and caramelized. Add the spices and stir well. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

3. Add chicken to pan. Cook until brown and cooked through, but still tender. Return the onion mixture to the skillet, and add remaining yogurt and approximately a tablespoon of flour. Stir in the tomato paste and frozen peas and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Let cool a bit then put in bottom pie crust. Add pie top, vent and cook for 35 minutes at 375 degrees.