Culture

I have a soft spot for a good pie. Perhaps it all started when my Gran would make her steak and kidney pie, a homemade masterpiece that always had me going back for seconds. Nowadays, she tends to make a deconstructed version, whereby you are presented with a generous mound of the steaming filling with a buttery round of puffed-up pastry beside it. Another favourite is the humble peppersteak pie. Huge chunks of steak in a rich, pepper-laden gravy is quite a sensation.

I’ve made a few mince pies in my time, but my favourite homemade pie is chicken. Load the filling with whatever you like, just be sure to chop vegetables into smaller pieces if they will take longer to cook. Here, I’ve opted for leek and carrot. Kumara, parsnip or potato would make a delightful addition. A few rashers of bacon, roughly chopped and fried off, could also be thrown in the mix.

Ingredients

4 sheets pre-rolled puff pastry, thawed
1 TBS butter
1 tsp oil
750g chicken thighs or breasts, fat removed and diced
1 leek, washed and thickly sliced
1 brown onion, peeled and chopped
Splash of white wine (optional)
3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced
2 TBS dried oregano or 1TBS thyme
Black pepper
1 cup liquid chicken stock
1/4 cup milk 2 TBS butter, melted
1 TBS flour

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C bake or 180°C fan bake.

2. Grease a large baking dish, then lay the base and sides with pastry – you’ll need to use about half of it. Bake in the oven for about five minutes, until it just starts to gain a little colour – don’t worry if it starts to puff up. Remove from the oven.

3. Meanwhile, heat the first measure of butter and oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for five minutes until the juices run clear.

4. Remove the chicken from the pan, reserving the liquid, and set aside.

5. Add the leek and onion to the pan with a little more oil if necessary, and cook for two minutes. A splash of white wine can be added at this stage, just allow a further minute to cook it off. Add the carrots, dried herbs, chicken stock and pepper to taste. Put a lid on the pan and simmer until the carrots are tender.

6. Return the chicken to the pan. Slowly stir through the milk.

7. Mix together the second measure of butter (melted) with the flour until you have a paste. Carefully stir this through the pie filling until incorporated. Turn the heat up slightly and cook for two minutes until the sauce has thickened.

8. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Top with the remaining pastry, making sure to press the edges together. Poke a few holes in the top and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and puffed up. If you dab a little butter, or brush some milk over the top of the pie before baking, this will ensure a beautiful, golden crust.

Makes one large pie to serve four to six.

Photo courtesy James Stringer