- 1 1/2 lb boiling potatoes
- 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
- 1 bacon slice, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 whole clove
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 2 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 (8-oz) bottle clam juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 24 small clams (1 1/2 to 2 inches across), shucked, reserving their liquor, and chopped if desired
- 1 (17 1/2-oz) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Special equipment: 6 (12- to 14-oz) deep ovenproof soup bowls
- Peel potatoes and cut into 1/4-inch dice.
- Heat butter and bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then add onion, garlic, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add bay leaf, thyme, clove, carrots, celery, and potatoes and reduce heat to moderate, then cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden and almost tender, about 15 minutes (be careful not to let them burn). Add wine, scraping up any brown bits.
- Stir together clam juice and cornstarch. Add to vegetables in skillet and bring to a simmer. Cover skillet and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and stir in clams with their liquor. Bring to a simmer and cook 1 minute, then remove from heat and cool to warm, uncovered. Discard bay leaf and clove.
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
- Roll out 1 pastry sheet into a 12-inch square on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Cut out 3 squares of pastry that are at least 1 inch larger all around than tops of soup bowls. Repeat with remaining pastry sheet.
- Divide clam filling among soup bowls (leaving at least a 3/4-inch space between surface of filling and tops of bowls). Brush 1 pastry square with egg and cover 1 bowl with it, egg side down, pressing edges of pastry firmly onto outside of bowl. Repeat with remaining squares of pastry and bowls. Brush tops of pastry with remaining egg.
- Bake pies in bowls in a large shallow baking pan until pastry is golden and puffed, about 20 minutes.