Sausage & Bisquit Potpie

Hi Folks. I've been a bit 'under the weather' for a bit and seem to have fallen way behind on both my blog writing and reading. Still not up to snuff, but maybe this offering will appeal to some of you. It's NOT health food because I think it tastes GREAT!!


Sausage and Biscuit Pot Pie

This classic sausage and biscuit combination makes a good brunch or Sunday supper choice. Mixing some seasonings and vegetables into the sausage meat turns the filling into a quick meat loaf. This pot pie bakes in the oven twice. Once to bake the filling and then to bake the pot pie with its topping.

Makes 8 servings
Baking the filling: about 35 minutes
Pot pie baking: 400 degrees F. for about 17 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground pork sausage
2 cups (2 medium) finely chopped onion
1 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 14.5 ounce can tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped salt and freshly ground black pepper

Biscuit Crust:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk, non fat is fine


Directions
Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Have ready a 9-by-2-inch round baking dish or 9-inch glass pie dish.

Make the filling. In a large bowl and using a large spoon or your clean fingers, mix the sausage, onion, green pepper, parsley and garlic to combine them. Spread the filling evenly in the baking dish, but do not pack it down. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully pour off any liquid or fat and discard it. Spoon the tomatoes evenly over top. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Return the pan to the oven for 15 more minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the topping.


Make the topping. In a large bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Add the butter pieces. Using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer on low speed, a pastry blender, or your fingertips, mix the ingredients together until coarse crumbs form, about
1/2 to 3/4 inch in size. Add the buttermilk and continue stirring, just until a soft dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball. Lightly flour the rolling surface and rolling pin and roll the dough into a 9-inch circle (about 3/4 inch thick) that fits snugly into the baking dish. Use a metal spatula to loosen the dough from the rolling surface and place it over the filling. If the dough breaks during the transfer, just pinch it together.

Bake until the top is evenly golden, about 17 minutes. Cut into wedges and use a wide spatula or pancake turner to lift the filling with its topping from the baking dish.

This is great on a cold night. Until next time, take care.