Savory Chicken Pocket Pies

Adapted from recipe in Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys

My sweet husband gave me this cookbook for Christmas (I think he is trying to tell me something), and this is the first recipe I have tried, and let me just say it was DE-LISH! Oh and did I mention that they are scrumptious? Delectable? Well, they are.

Start with the Cream Cheese Pastry:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream
1.5 cups plus 2 tbsp. flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 tsp coarse salt

Process the butter, cream cheese, and cream in a food processor (if you are lucky to have one), or a hand mixer, or the good old-fashioned way: by hand. Add the flour and salt. Process until combined and the dough hold together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Divide into 2 pieces. Flatten into disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling out. If you chill overnight, take it out 15 minutes before rolling out.
While it chills make the filling:

1 heaping cup of shredded chicken
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, or some olive oil
1 medium onion
1/3 cup celery (I left this out)
1/2 cup carrot, chopped
1/2 tsp. course salt
2 tbsp flour
1.5 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 recipe Cream Cheese Pastry
1 large egg, for egg wash

Melt the butter in a hot skillet, add onion, celery, and carrot. I like my onions carmelized, so I cooked this mixture longer, and also added a little chicken broth and then finished with a little vinegar. Once the mixture is where you like it, stir in the salt and flour and cook for a minute longer. Add the chicken broth and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken and parmesan cheese. Then cool this in the fridge. Preheat oven to 375°. Butter or line a baking pan.

Working with one disk at a time, place on a floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll gently from the center of the dough to the top and bottom edges. Rotate the disk and roll to the top and bottom edges again. Reflour the surface, and pin, and flip the dough over and repeat the process. Continue with this until you have a large disc, about 12 or so inches. Now take a bowl, about 5ish inches in diameter and cut out your circles. Then gather the leftover dough and do it again.
Now time to fill:

Place some of the filling on half of the circle. Wet the edges of the dough with water. Fold the dough over to form a half circle. Pinch the edges of the dough together. Crip edges with a fork. And repeat until all pockets are filled.

Place the pockets on the baking sheet and chill for a few minutes. Prick each pie on top twice with a fork. When ready to bake, beat the egg with 1 tbsp. water. Brush the egg wash over each pocket pie. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Pair with a lovely spinach salad, or maybe even some applesauce.

*These are also great because you can freeze them before you bake them, just placing on a baking sheet until frozen solid, and then storing a resealable bag. Or you can bake them, and freeze them to later reheat.