Chicken Ham and Leek Pie
Ingredients:
- Chicken Stock - 450ml
- Chicken Breast - 3
- Butter - 75g
- Leek - 2 sliced
- Garlic - 2 cloves minced
- Plain Flour - 50g
- Milk - 200ml
- White Wine - 3 tbs
- Double Cream - 150ml
- Ham - 150g
- Sea Salt - spinkling
- Pepper - pinch
- Plain Flour - 350g
- Butter - 200g
- Free-range Egg, Beaten - 1
- Cold Water - 1 tbls
- Free-range Egg, Beaten - 1
Instructions
- Heat the chicken stock in a lidded saucepan
- Add the chicken breast and bring to a low simmer
- Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes
- Remove the chicken breasts from the water with tongs and place on a plate
- Pour the cooking liquor into a large jug
- Melt 25g/1oz of the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over a low heat
- Stir in the leeks and fry gently for two minutes, stirring occasionally until just softened
- Add the garlic and cook for a further minute
- Add the remaining butter and stir in the flour as soon as the butter has melted
- Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly
- Slowly pour the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well between each adding
- Gradually add 250ml/10fl oz of the reserved stock and the wine, if using, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes
- Season the mixture, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cream
- Pour into a large bowl and cover the surface of the sauce with cling ilm to prevent a skin forming
- Set aside to cool
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6
- Put a baking tray in the oven to heat
- For the pastry, put the flour and butter in a food processor and blend on the pulse setting until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs
- With the motor running, add the beaten egg and water and blend until the mixture forms a ball
- Portion off 250g/10oz of pastry for the lid
- Roll the remaining pastry out on a lightly floured surface, turning the pastry frequently until around 5mm/¼in thick and 4cm/1½in larger than the pie dish
- Lift the pastry over the rolling pin and place it gently into the pie dish
- Press the pastry firmly up the sides, making sure there are no air bubbles
- Leave the excess pastry overhanging the sides
- Cut the chicken breasts into 3cm/1¼in pieces
- Stir the chicken, ham and leeks into the cooled sauce
- Pour the chicken filling into the pie dish
- Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg
- Roll out the reserved pastry for the lid
- Cover the pie with the pastry lid and press the edges together firmly to seal
- Trim any excess pastry
- Make a small hole in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife
- Glaze the top of the pie with beaten egg
- Bake on the preheated tray in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the pie is golden-brown all over and the filling is piping hot