By Robert Trottmann

This super comfort food has some spice and richness that pairs deliciously with our Tempranillo.

Serves 4

Lid Crust

2 cups All-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

13 tablespoons cold unsalted butter coarsely grated (I use my cheese grater)

6 tablespoons sour cream or whole Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/4 cup ice water

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash prior to cooking)

Filling

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 strips thick cut black pepper crusted Applewood smoked bacon

1 large or 2 small onions, fine chop

1 large carrot, fine chop

1 large stalk celery, fine chop

Red pepper flakes to the amount of heat you like (I like it medium spicy so I use about a teaspoon)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

8-10 ounces of finely chopped Swiss chard (you can also use kale spinach or collards and I go heavy on the greens because I really like them))

3 1/2 tablespoons butter

3 1/2 tablespoons (25 grams) all- purpose flour

3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 cups white beans, cooked and drained (you can use canned beans for convenience)

Make lids: In a large mixing bowl combine the flour and salt. Add the butter and, using a pastry blender/knife or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles little pebbles. Break up the bits of butter until the texture is like the size of rice grains. In another dish whisk together the sour cream, vinegar, and water, and then combine it with the butter-flour mixture. With a flexible spatula, stir the wet and the dry together until a rough dough forms. If needed, get your hands into the bowl to knead it a few times into one big ball. Form into a flattish ball, cover it and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Make filling: Cook the bacon on low-medium heat until quite crisp. Remove it, let it cool and chop into bits. Leave the heat on and the renderings in the pan. Add an additional tablespoon of olive oil if needed and heat until shimmering. Add onions, carrot, celery, red pepper flakes, add salt, and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are softened. Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute more. Add the greens and cook until wilted. Season with the additional salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer all of the cooked vegetables to the bowl with the bacon, and set aside.

Make sauce: Lightly wipe the large saucepan and don’t worry about bits stuck to the bottom. Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour, and stir with a whisk until combined. Continue cooking stirring the whole time, until it begins to take on a little color. Whisk in the broth about a cup at a time mixing completely between additions. Once you’ve added a third of the broth things are well heated and you can add the rest more quickly you can begin to add the rest more quickly, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom — they’re flavorful.

Once all of the broth is added, stirring the whole time, bring the mixture to a boil and reduce it to a simmer. Cook the sauce until it is thickened about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the beans and vegetables into the sauce.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Assemble and cook pot pies: Divide the filling between four ovenproof 2-cup bowls. (You’ll have about 1 1/2 cups filling in each.) Set the bowls on a baking pan. Divide the dough into four pieces, and roll it out into rounds that will cover your bowls with an overhang, or about 1 inch wider in diameter than your bowls. Whisk the egg wash and brush it lightly around the top rim of your bowls to keep the lid glued on and drape the pastry over each pressing gently to glue it. Brush the lids with egg wash, then several small vents in each lid to help steam escape. Bake until crust is lightly bronzed and filling is bubbling, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Note: You can place a bottom to your pie if you wish. I do just because like the extra richness and it reminds me of childhood.