Chicken Pie with Heritage Pastry

Serves 4

Prep and cook time 2 hours 45 mins

Ingredients

  • 1x 1.8kg whole chicken (buy the best quality chicken you can as the gravy forms the sauce for the pie.)
  • 3x fresh bay leaves
  • 2x carrots, cut in half lengthways
  • 2x garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1x onion, peeled and cut into three thick slices
  • 2x celery sticks, cut in half
  • 1x lemon, cut in half
  • A handful of fresh parsley (approx. 10g)
  • 2x fresh sprigs of rosemary
  • 2x tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the filling

  • 2x large leeks, chopped into ½ cm rings
  • 250g portobello mushrooms, sliced
  • 20 g dried porcini mushrooms (optional but adds a rich depth of flavour)
  • 1x 200g pack dry cured smoked streaky bacon cut into thin strips across.
  • 2x tbsp olive oil
  • 2x tbsp fresh lemon thyme leaves, chopped

For the gravy

  • 600ml chicken stock
  • 2x tbsp Sharpham Park Organic Heritage Flour
  • Liquid from the dried porcini mushrooms

For the pastry

  • 250g Sharpham Park Organic Heritage Flour
  • 90g  coconut oil
  • x2 egg yolks
  • 4-5  tbsp cold water
  • 1x egg yolk  or milk for brushing the top off the pie

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180oc, Gas mark 4.              
  2. You will need an oven-proof pie dish roughly 25cm by 20cm, height 5cm.
  3. In a large oven tray place the bay leaves, carrots, celery, onions, parsley, rosemary, lemon and garlic to form a layer. Place your chicken on top of the veg and drizzle over the 2x tbsp of olive oil along with some seasoning. Place in the oven for 2 hours.
  4. Put the dried porcini mushrooms into a small bowl and cover with 150 ml of boiling water, leave to soak for 20 mins then drain keeping the liquor and chop the mushrooms setting aside both
  5. When your chicken has 30 mins cooking time left you can prep the filling.
  6.  In a large non-stick frying pan add 1x tbsp. olive oil and the bacon strips. On a high heat cook the bacon until golden then remove with a slotted spoon into a large bowl and set aside.
  7. Into the same pan add another 1 x tbsp. of oil and throw in the leeks and mushrooms with some seasoning and on a medium heat, cook for 5 minutes until soft. Remove, adding into the bowl with the bacon along with the chopped porcini mushrooms.
  8. Your chicken should now be cooked. To check this, remove from the oven and place a knife into the thick part of the thigh, if the juices run clear then it is cooked.
  9. Take the chicken out of the tray and place onto a plate whilst you make the gravy.
  10. Put the oven tray on top of the hob and add the flour, give this a good mix into all the veg and juices. Once incorporated add the stock and porcini liquor bringing to the boil, stir this continuously until it becomes thick with no lumps for roughly 3 mins, mashing the veg to get all the flavour out.
  11. Season to taste and strain the gravy straight into the bowl with the mushrooms, leeks and bacon adding in the chopped lemon thyme.
  12.  Remove all the meat from the chicken, and cut into bite size pieces, adding to the gravy bowl, mixing well.
  13. Spoon the finished filling into the oven-proof pie dish set aside or place in the fridge until you’re ready to cook as this can be made in advance.
  14. Blitz the flour, seasoning and coconut oil in a food processor until it resembles breadcrumbs, add the egg yolks and water until the pastry comes together. Remove onto a floured surface and roll out a rectangle larger than the pie dish, very carefully cover the pies dish with the pastry and use the left over pieces to decorate the top in whatever design you like.
  15. Brush with some egg yolk and make a 2 cm cross slit in the middle to let steam out  then place back into the oven for 35-40 mins, until the pie is bubbling and pastry golden, please note the flour is slightly darker than other spelt flours.

 

Tip. You can make the filling in advance the day before so all you have to do is make the pastry and cook when you need. Don’t waste the chicken carcass, boil this up with some vegetables to make a stock that can be frozen and used in soups, risottos or sauces.

1st September 2021

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