This is another of England's famous traditional pies which uses puff pastry for a light result.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:-
- Carrot - 1, peeled and chopped Chicken breasts- 450g (1 lb) Cooked ham from tin - 225g (8oz), Frozen peas - 100g (3½ oz)
- Butter - 25g (1 oz)
- Onion - 1, chopped
- Plain flour - 3 tbsp
- Chicken stock - 300 ml (½ pint)
- Milk - 150 ml (¼ pint)
- Single cream - 150 ml (¼ pint)
- 1 teaspoon dried origano
- Puff pastry - 225g (8 oz)
- Egg - 1, beaten, to glaze
Method:-
- Saute chicken breasts whole by boiling in chicken stock (i.e. OXO) for 30 minutes. Then cut into chunks.
- Meanwhile, cook the carrots in boiling water for 7 minutes. Drain and mix with the chicken, ham and peas in an ovenproof pie dish.
- Melt the butter and cook the onion until soft. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, gradually stir in the chicken stock. Bring to the boil, stirring and simmer until thickened. Stir in the milk, cream and herbs, season and heat without boiling. Use yoghurt instead of cream.
- Pour the sauce into the pie dish. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until a little bigger than the top of the dish. Cut off a strip of pastry and place on the rim of the dish, moisten, then place the remaining pastry on top. Trim the edges and press to seal. Make a hole in the centre of the pastry and decorate with pastry trimmings.
- Brush with beaten egg, then bake at 190 °C / 375 °F / Gas 5 for 40 minutes, until the pastry is cooked. Serve hot.
- From The Giant British Cookbook
