Pennsylvania Dutch Ham Pot Pie

When most of us think of pot pie, we think of a stew that is baked inside of a pie crust. The first time I had a pot pie at my in-laws house, I was very confused. What they served me, while delicious, was NOT pot pie. It was a soup/stew. When I decided to try my hand at making the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch Pot Pie, I found out that Pennsylvania Dutch settlers were German - so this dish is of German heritage. It's probably called pot pie because it's made in a pot and the homemade noodles are similar to making a pie crust. Tonight was only my second time making this super yummy dish.

I'm afraid I won't be giving a typical recipe. I'm just going to explain what to do (that's the way I found the "recipe" online).

First you need to slowly roast a ham (a real ham with the bone in) in the oven.



Then put the ham in a large pot and cover with water. Simmer this for a few hours - until the ham is falling off of the bone.

Once you have your ham stock ready to go, take the ham out to cool. To the stock add 1 medium onion chopped, 2 carrots peeled and sliced, 2 celery stalks chopped, and 3 - 5 potatoes diced (I rarely peel my potatoes - lots of good nutrients there!).



Once you have your veggies in the pot it's time to start your noodle dough.

In a mixing bowl add 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1/4 tsp. salt, and then cut in 2 tablespoons of butter or shortening. Once you have achieved pea size, make a well in the center and pour in 1/4 cup of water and 1 slightly beaten egg. Start mixing it with a fork until you have a very stiff dough (add more flour as needed). Once the dough is finished, cover the bowl with a cloth and set aside.



Now it's time to add some ham back to the pot. Use your judgegment here. Use as much or as little ham as you'd like and use whatever size pieces you'd like. Once the veggies are soft it's time to roll out your dough. You want to divide your ball of dough into fourths. Roll out each section pretty thinly. You can use a pizza cutter to cut the sheet into 1 - 2 inch squares.





Just plop the squares into the pot (don't worry if they get squished). Continue doing this until all of your dough has been rolled and cut. Stir all of your noodles in the pot and let them simmer for a bit. It doesn't take long for the noodles to cook. Before serving add some freshly ground pepper and salt if needed (make sure you taste first!).





Then it's time to enjoy!