Crawfish Pie Filling

Melt margarine. Add flour, brown lightly. Add garlic, onions, shallots (bottoms), green pepper, celery and tomato sauce. Cover and fry about 1 hour. Stir frequently to keep from sticking. Add 3 cups water – “taree” (simmer) for several hours. If mixture thickens too much, add more water. Mixture should be creamy and thick when tails and fat are added. Add tails and fat. Cook 15 minutes or until tails are tender. If mixture thins after above step, thicken by adding 2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with water (consistency of cream). Add shallot tops and parsley. The mixture is now ready for the pie shell. (It may also be served over steaming rice for étouffée.)

Pour filling over bottom pie crust. Cover with other pie crust. Cut slits in top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake for another 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serves 6.