CHICKEN & LEEK PIE

Ingredients :

1 Empire Pastry Shortcrust shell, blind baked (see notes)

1 sheet Empire Butter Puff pastry

2 tbsp olive oil

500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into small chunks

1 medium leek, trimmed & washed and sliced thinly

100g middle bacon, chopped

¼ cup white wine

30g butter

30g plain flour

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1½ cups chicken stock

¼ cup cream

Freshly ground black pepper

1 egg, beaten (egg wash)

Method :

FOR THE FILLING:

Step 1: In a large frying pan heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Step 2: Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally until beginning to brown – approx. 15 minutes.

Step 3: Remove chicken from pan to a medium bowl and set aside.

Step 4: Add sliced leek and bacon to pan and cook stirring for 10 minutes or until the leeks have softened.

Step 5: Add the white wine to the pan and stir to deglaze the pan. Remove leeks and bacon to dish with chicken.

Step 6: Melt the butter in the frying pan. Add the flour and thyme leaves to the melted butter and cook, stirring for a minute.

Step 7: Whisk the chicken stock into the flour mixture and cook, stirring constantly until the sauce starts to thicken.

Step 8: Simmer for a couple of minutes then stir in the cream and season with pepper (no salt yet).

Step 9: Add the cooked chicken, bacon and leek back into the pan and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning – it may not need any salt as the bacon is salty.

FOR THE PIPE:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 190°C.

Step 2: Spread the cooked chicken and leek filling evenly into the shortcrust shell.

Step 3: Cut a 25cm round from the butter puff sheet and drape over the pie. Tuck the edges in and crimp (pinch between finger and thumb).

Step 4: Brush the pastry lid with egg wash, cut shapes from the left-over corner pieces, stick them onto the pie and brush with egg wash. Cut a few slits in the lid with the tip of a small sharp knife to let steam escape.

Step 5: Bake pie for approx. 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Serve hot.

TO BAKE BLIND:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 190°C.

Step 2: Line tart shell with baking paper and fill with baking beans. (You can use raw chickpeas, rice, kidney beans, or any other dried grain or legume). Scrunch the baking paper up and then “un-scrunch” it before lining the pastry shells – it makes it softer and less likely to cut into the pastry.

Step 3: Bake tart shell for 10-12 minutes.

Step 4: Carefully remove paper and beans and bake for another 3-5 minutes until the pastry is cooked through (no damp bits on the bottom).

Step 5: Store cooled baking beans in an airtight container; they are no longer suitable for consumption but can be re-used multiple times for baking blind.