This is proper home cooking. Comfort food, yes, indulgent, possibly a little, but more than anything really tasty!
I have made this pie a couple of times recently and in part it was inspired by a visit to Walter Rose and Sons in Devizes, the butchers I use at Sienna. They have an amazing retail shop with a delicatessen attached to it and pies were a big feature in the display cabinet.
It also took me back to some of the cooking I did at home prior to becoming a chef 20 years ago. We lived in Cornwall at the time and weekends were often about walking on the coast path with a picnic in the rucksack. Sandwiches on homemade bread, a homemade pasty or individual pies would often be the mainstay. One of the real benefits for me of writing this blog is that it is making me cook more at home again!
The flaky pastry freezes well so why not make a double batch while you are at it. The pie also eats really well cold with the pastry retaining a good level of crispness.
FLAKY PASTRY
- 200g plain flour
- 150g salted butter, chilled
- 6g fine Maldon sea salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 100g cold water
Sift the flour and salt onto the bench, grate the butter over the flour using a coarse grater. Stop every now and again to toss the butter through the flour with your fingertips and to dust the grater with flour.
Make a well in the centre, beat the yolk into the water and pour into the well. Gradually bring in the flour with your fingertips to create a dough. Knead briefly and then wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for 30 mins before using.
CHICKEN LEEK AND MUSHROOM PIE FILLING
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced
- 4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, cut into 1cm pieces
- 125g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium leek, trimmed, sliced and washed
- 100ml dry white wine
- 300ml chicken stock
- 2tbs crème fraîche
- 1tsp Dijon mustard
- Cornflour to thicken
- Maldon sea salt and fresh black pepper
- 1 egg yolk mixed with 1dsp of water
- Olive oil
Season the chicken breast and fry in a little olive oil in a very hot pan. This is just to colour the chicken, not cook it through. Remove the chicken to a plate and add the bacon to the pan. When the fat is starting to render, add the leeks and the mushrooms and cook until just starting to soften. Add the leek mix to the chicken and then pour the wine into the pan. Reduce the wine to a syrup and add the chicken stock. Reduce this by around two thirds then whisk in the Dijon mustard and crème fraîche. Mix 1tsp of cornflour with a little cold water and use this to thicken the sauce. A thick double cream consistency is what you are looking for. Add the chicken mix to the sauce and adjust the seasoning.
ASSEMBLY
Download the recipe as a pdf here.