It's British Pie Week! (Well, there's always something...). So dust off your pie dish and try this chicken and leek number. You won't be disappointed.
Chicken and Leek Pie
Serves 4-6
Olive oil
A large knob of butter
2 rashers smoked bacon, chopped
Half bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked
2kg leeks, washed and finely sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
800g cooked chicken, cut into chunks
2 heaped tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 pints chicken stock
2 tbsp of creme fraiche
300g packet puff pastry
2 sprigs fresh sage
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 190°C/gas 5. Put a pan on a medium heat and add a glug of olive oil, butter, bacon and thyme. Let it fry for a few minutes before adding leeks and fry them for another few minutes.
Season before turning the heat down and letting them cook gently for 20 minutes (stirring every five minutes to ensure they don’t stick).
After 20 minutes add the chicken meat and stir. Add the flour and stock and stir again.
Then add the crème fraîche and bring everything back up to the boil. When it has come to the boil, turn the hob off and pour mixture through a sieve over another empty pan.
Dust a clean surface and roll out your pastry until it is big enough to cover your baking dish.
Spoon the chicken and leek mixture from your sieve into the pie dish and spread it out evenly. Lay pastry on top, tuck the ends under then gently score the pastry with your knife.
Add a pinch of salt to the beaten egg then brush the egg over the top of the pastry. Bake in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown.
When you are ready to serve heat up the creamy gravy that seeped through the sieve and pour over pie.
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