I have been making this little gem for about 30 years. It varies depending upon my mood. Sometimes I will use andouille instead of the Italian sausage but it always has shrimp! When we lived in Lafayette, Louisiana, we were again, fortunate to have access to the freshest seafood and amazing sausages around. We lived less than a mile from Hebert’s Specialty Meat shop. You could walk in that place and be transfixed by the smells and sites. It was a true sensory experience entering the building. (I know that we have one here in The Woodlands) but they do not do all of the processing and preparation at The Woodlands location.) So if you ever have the opportunity, stop by the Johnson Street location in Lafayette and enjoy the wonderment!
This is a savory pie and should be served warm but not straight out of the oven. It is perfect for those LSU tailgate parties as you can pack an ice chest with hot items (no ice) and serve it during the pregame festivities along with a nice cold Abita Beer!
Now there are variations to this and feel free to change it up. You can add some sherry to the roux. You can use andouilled sausage instead of the Hot Italian sausage. You can change up the cheese and use whatever you would like.
Tips for cooking:
Use a prepared springform pan. Spray with olive oil spray.
Prebake the bottom crust for 8 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees F and allow to cool.
During baking, bake the pie for twenty minutes, remove from oven, do an egg wash on top and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
2 Pillsbury pie crusts Spray a springform pan with olive oil and line the bottom and up the sides with one of the crusts. Press into the bottom and the sides. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes. The sides may slide down but that it ok. Reserve the other crust to top the pie.
For roux:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups of chicken stock warmed
1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
1/2 to 2/3 cup mozarella cheese shredded
For filling:
1.15 lb Hot Italian Sausage cut into 1/3 to 1/3 inch disks
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
2/3 to 3/4 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
3 tablespoons fresh parsley (dried can be substituted)
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning
1 teaspoon black pepper
1.25 lbs 21 to 25 shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 egg whisked
How to:
Prepare the bottom crust as outlined above. Allow to cool. Raise the temperature of the oven to 400 degree F.
In a medium skillet, melt the butter and add the flour to begin making a roux. Cook over medium heat, continually stirring until the roux mixture becomes slightly darker than caramel color. Slowly add the stock, stirring continuously to ensure that there are no lumps. Once the mixture is incorporated and all lumps are out, turn off heat and stir in the cheeses. Mix well and sit aside while the filling mixture is prepared.
In a larger heated skillet, add the prepared Italian Sausage and begin to saute for about a minute and a half. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, and jalapeno. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring to make sure that meat does not stick to the pan. Add the green onion, chopped garlic, parsley, thyme, Tony Chachere’s and pepper. Mix to incorporate and cook for 1 minute. Taste for salt and add if needed. Place the shrimp into the skillet and mix completely. Turn off the heat and stir until shrimp begin to turn slightly pink. This is important as you do not want to overcook the shrimp. Add the cheesy roux to the mixture. Stir until everythings is completely mixed.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared shell. Ensure the the mixture is evenly distributed. Take the second pie crust and lay it over the mixture. Press the sides down around the filling and then curl the extra dough to seal and make an edge. Make several slits in the top to vent the steam from the mixture.
Place two shrimp on top to garnish.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and brush whisked egg over the pie, returning to the oven for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. The crust should be golden brown.
Allow to cool. Run a knife aound the perimeter of the pie and remove from the springform pan. Serve warm with a nice cold beer.
Cabeuser's Blog 