The Egg Wash Tip To Prevent Soggy Bottom Crust In Chicken Pot Pie
Let's face it; The crust is the most important part of any pie. Whether you choose a double crust or a lattice, without a crisp and flaky, quality crust, your pie immediately becomes much less appetizing. Pie crusts can be tricky, and they get even more complicated to manage when your pie's filling has a lot of extra moisture — like with a chicken pot pie – because that filling can be a loose cannon after you set the pie to bake. Maybe it'll play nice and keep in separate layers, but the filling could also soak into the crust, turning it into a soggy and off-putting mess. To ensure the latter doesn't happen, you're going to want to have an egg wash handy.
Egg wash is often used to promote browning and add a subtle shine to your baked goods. But you can also use it to create a slick barrier between your chicken pot pie's bottom crust and its filling. This added layer prevents the filling from oozing its way into the bottom crust and ruining its texture as it cooks.
Egg wash creates a barrier
For this handy kitchen trick, you'll start by cracking an egg into a bowl and adding about a tablespoon of water. Whisk the ingredients together until they're fully combined, then, using a pastry brush, spread a thin layer of egg wash onto your bottom crust, all the way to its edges. From this point, you can pour that savory and delicious chicken pot pie filling into the bottom, add your top crust, and pop it into the oven. While the pie bakes, the filling and bottom crust will cook up without becoming soggy, and the egg wash also won't impart any unpleasant flavors to your pie.
This step protects the inside of your bottom crust, but there's one additional step you might want to consider to make sure the outer layers of bottom crust also bake up perfectly. All you need to do is butter your pie pan before laying the crust. This will not only promote a crisp browning, but will also add a little extra buttery flavor to make your crust even more irresistible.