Topped with a whole wheat pastry, this chicken pie is a meal in itself. Add a tomato salad, then serve ice cream or a fruit sherbet for dessert. After cooking the chicken you will have rich, home-made broth to freeze and use later.

For 1 pie, 6 servings, you will need:

1 frying chicken (3 ½ lb.), cut up
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
3 cups water
1/2 cup diced ham
1/2 lb. mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Dash each pepper and nutmeg
1/2 cup thawed frozen peas

Whole Wheat Pastry: Mix 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, and ½ tsp. salt. Cut in 1/3 cup firm butter or margarine and 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese until crumbly Mix in 1 egg yolk (reserve white), 1 tsp. lemon juice, and about 1 1/2 Tbsp. water Blend until mixture clings together Shape into a ball; roll out to a circle about 10 inches.

Preparation:

Place chicken pieces in 4-quart kettle. Reserve 1/2 cup of onion; add remaining onion to chicken with carrot, celery, salt, thyme, water. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat, cover Simmer until chicken is tender, about 45 min. Strain, reserve broth; skim and discard fat. Bone chicken in large pieces.

Cook reserved onions, ham, and mushrooms in butter in a saucepan until mushrooms brown lightly; stir in flour, pepper, nutmeg. Remove from heat. Mix in 1 1/2 cups broth. Return to heat; cook, stirring, until thickened. Fold in chicken and peas.

Spread chicken mixture in 9-inch pie pan. Place pastry over; trim and flute edge. Cut slits in top. Beat egg white with 1 tsp. water, brush crust. Bake at 425F about 25 min.

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