To Karalyn Smith of The Mini Pie Box, the beauty of pie crust lies in making it your own. The recipe she uses for her pocket-sized, deep-dish, English-style savory pies is based on her mother’s. “However, over time, and with a bunch of research, it has borrowed from the best practices of others and morphed into its own,” she says.

“Given how easy it is to sway a pie crust one way or another, I think everyone's recipe and process yields their own over time, and with practice. It’s a little bit of a science,” she says.

The Mini Pie Box may be a micro, Instagram-based business, but Smith’s flavors are big. Smith, nicknamed the “Mini Pie Madam” by her loyal followers, spices up her crust with fillings like veggie curry bursting with coconut and bright red curry, and spicy chicken, which adds a kick of spice to the classic chicken pie. Though the canning process can be tedious, it’s worth it for a taste of Smith’s hot pepper chutney – briny, salty, and peppering the perfect amount of heat.

Equipment
9-inch pie dish or standard muffin pan
2 pots
Pastry brush
Rolling pin

Ingredients
½ cup salted butter

1 large Yukon gold potato, cubed
5 fresh garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 large red onion, diced
1-2 fresh rosemary sprigs
¾ tsp Diamond Crystal salt
¾ tsp pepper
3 cups water
1 medium habanero pepper, minced
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast
2-3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 chicken bouillon cube
2-3 carrots, diced
2-3 stalks of celery, diced
1 cup peas
½ tsp of celery seed
½ cup flour
1½ cup whole milk
1 egg

Directions

Add 2 tablespoons of butter, diced potatoes, 3 cloves of minced garlic, ¾ of diced onion, and 1 sprig of rosemary into a pot, and sauté on low to medium heat until potatoes begin to soften. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Note: Do not cook until they begin to fall apart; they should still have firmness.)

While potatoes sauté, add 3 cups of water, ¼ of diced onion, 2 garlic cloves, ½ a habanero, chicken breast, thyme sprigs, remaining rosemary, and bullion cube to a large stockpot. Bring to boil then simmer on medium until chicken is cooked.

Remove chicken from broth, and coarsely shred. Set aside.

Strain broth and put back into stockpot, adding carrots, celery, and peas. Cook on low until carrots are tender.

In a separate pot, add the remaining butter and the remaining onion, garlic, and habanero, sautéing until onions are translucent. Add salt, pepper, and celery seed.

Slowly incorporate flour into onion, garlic, and habanero mixture. Mix in until smooth. Cook for 2 minutes

Slowly incorporate milk, mixing to maintain a smooth texture. Once milk is incorporated, slowly incorporate broth containing the carrots, celery, and peas.

Incorporate potatoes and shredded chicken, and then allow mixture to come to a simmer. Gently stir until all ingredients incorporated and desired thickness is achieved

Remove from stove and allow mixture to cool then place in refrigerator until mixture is chilled, about 3 hours. (Note: Mixture must be fully chilled before pouring onto piecrust.)

Combine egg with 1 tablespoon of water and whisk gently.
Preheat over to 425 degrees.

For one 9-inch pot pie:

Divide dough 60/40, and roll out into 2 discs.

Place larger disc into 9-inch pie dish, leaving some excess dough on edges, and pour in chilled mixture. Paint edges with egg wash, then place second dough disc on top. Seal the edges using preferred method.

Gently brush the top piecrust with egg wash then cut slits into top piecrust to allow pie to vent. Place in preheated over for 30 minutes until crust is golden and the mixture bubbles.

For 12 mini pies:

Divide dough recipe into 3 equal parts. Divide 2 of the parts into 6 equal portions each, for a total of 12 (30 grams each). Divide the remaining part into 12 equal portions (15 grams each).

Roll out each portion of dough, and then place the larger discs into a standard muffin pan. Press firmly into place and equally divide the chilled mixture onto each crust. Paint edges with egg wash, then place second dough dish on top. Seal the edges using preferred method.

Gently brush the top piecrust with egg wash then cut slits to allow pie to vent. Place in preheated over for 12-15 minutes until crust is golden and the mixture bubbles.

Veggie Curry Pot Pie
Makes one 9-inch pot pie or 12 mini pies

Equipment

Your favorite piecrust recipe doubled
9-inch pie dish or standard muffin pan
Rolling pin
Pastry brush
6 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp of Diamond Crystal salt
1 medium red onion, diced
3 inches fresh ginger, minced
3-4 fresh garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
2-3 carrots, diced
1 medium habanero pepper, minced
4-5 of assorted bell peppers, diced
5-6 tbsp of your favorite vegetarian red curry paste
2 13.5-oz cans coconut milk
1 ½ tbsp of brown sugar
3 tbsp of flour
1 egg

Add 4 tablespoons of the coconut oil and then follow with salt, onion, ginger, garlic, sweet potatoes, carrots, and habanero to a pot, and sauté the mixture on medium-low heat until carrots and sweet potatoes begin to soften.

Add bell peppers and continue to sauté until peppers begin to soften.

Stir in curry paste until evenly distributed then incorporate coconut milk and brown sugar, stirring until brown sugar is dissolved.

Bring mix to a gentle simmer and allow it to cook until sweet potatoes and carrots can be pierced with a fork.

In a separate smaller pot, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil on low and add in the flour to form a roux. Allow roux to cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.

Using a measuring cup, take a heaping cup of the curry mixture. Pour ¼ of the cup into the roux and stir until a smooth paste forms. Continue to slowly add in the other ¾ cup of curry mixture, stirring continuously.

Slowly incorporate flour mixture into the pot containing the vegetable curry, stirring continuously until fully incorporated.

Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring continuously to allow the mixture to thicken and for vegetables to reach final desired consistency.

Remove from stove and allow mixture to cool, and then place in refrigerator until mixture is chilled, about 3 hours. (Note: mixture must be fully chilled before pouring onto piecrust.)

Combine egg with 1 tablespoon of water and whisk gently.

Preheat over to 425 degrees.

For one 9-inch pot pie:

Divide dough 60/40, and roll out into 2 discs.

Place larger disc into 9-inch pie dish, leaving some excess dough on edges, and pour in chilled mixture. Paint edges with egg wash, then place second dough disc on top. Seal the edges using preferred method.

Add 4 tablespoons of the coconut oil and then follow with salt, onion, ginger, garlic, sweet potatoes, carrots, and habanero to a pot, and sauté the mixture on medium-low heat until carrots and sweet potatoes begin to soften. 

Add bell peppers and continue to sauté until peppers begin to soften. 

Stir in curry paste until evenly distributed then incorporate coconut milk and brown sugar, stirring until brown sugar is dissolved. 

Bring mix to a gentle simmer and allow it to cook until sweet potatoes and carrots can be pierced with a fork. 

In a separate smaller pot, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil on low and add in the flour to form a roux. Allow roux to cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.

Using a measuring cup, take a heaping cup of the curry mixture. Pour ¼ of the cup into the roux and stir until a smooth paste forms. Continue to slowly add in the other ¾ cup of curry mixture, stirring continuously. 

Slowly incorporate flour mixture into the pot containing the vegetable curry, stirring continuously until fully incorporated. 

Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring continuously to allow the mixture to thicken and for vegetables to reach final desired consistency. 

Remove from stove and allow mixture to cool, and then place in refrigerator until mixture is chilled, about 3 hours. (Note: mixture must be fully chilled before pouring onto piecrust.) 

Combine egg with 1 tablespoon of water and whisk gently. 

Preheat over to 425 degrees. 

For one 9-inch pot pie: 

Divide dough 60/40, and roll out into 2 discs. 

Place larger disc into 9-inch pie dish, leaving some excess dough on edges, and pour in chilled mixture. Paint edges with egg wash, then place second dough disc on top. Seal the edges using preferred method. 

Story  Maggie Weaver/ Photography Dave Bryce/ Styling Keith Recker