Makes 4 servingsKat Riehle says it helps the flow of entertaining to assign roles for herself and her husband when they have guests over to their small New York City apartment. So when Riehle cooks, her husband takes the coats and fills drink orders, and vice versa. “I think it makes everyone feel welcome to be greeted with a drink, rather than walking in on two crazy people bumping into each other in a tiny kitchen, frantically attempting to get food on a table,” she says.
DOUGH
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
13 tablespoons (1 stick plus 5 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, diced
6 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
¼ cup ice water
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
FILLING
Olive oil
½ to ¾ cup diced thick-cut bacon
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
Pinch of hot red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups thinly sliced kale leaves
Ground black pepper to taste
SAUCE
3 ½ tablespoons butter
3 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 ½ cups sodium-free or low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked or canned white beans
To make the dough combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and work it into the flour with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles small pebbles. Break up the pebbles, and keep rubbing in the butter bits until they are tiny.
In a small bowl mix the sour cream, vinegar, and water. Add to the flour mixture. Knead the dough until it forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, flatten a bit, and refrigerate for at least 40 minutes.
To make the filling heat a splash of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Drain on paper towels and crumble. Place the bacon in a medium bowl. Add more olive oil to the pan. Add the onions, carrot, celery, pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add the kale and cook until it is wilted. Season with more salt and pepper. Add the vegetables to the bacon.
To make the sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is browned. Whisk in the broth, a little at a time, mixing completely between additions. Scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan and mix in. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce until it thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the beans, vegetables, and bacon, and mix well.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Set 4 ovenproof bowls on a baking sheet. Divide the filling among the bowls. Divide the dough into four pieces, and roll into rounds that will cover the bowls with a little overhang. Brush the rims of the bowls with some of the egg-water mixture. Drape a pastry round over the top of each bowl, pressing it gently so it will adhere. Brush the dough rounds with the egg-water mixture. Use a small, sharp knife to cut a few vents in the dough.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned and the filling is bubbling.
Makes 4 servings