Preparation Time
80 minutes
Serves
4-6
Nutrition
N/A
Puree
Chunks of the chicken and pieces of pastry make tasty finger food
Finger Food
Take some of the leeks and cooked chicken and blend with the sauce
Ingredients
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For the pastry:
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250g plain flour
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75g butter
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75g lard
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2-3 tbsp water
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beaten egg, to glaze
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For the filling:
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1.5kg free-range chicken
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1 carrot, roughly chopped
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2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
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2 onions, finely chopped
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4 sprigs of tarragon, 1 tbsp olive oil
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knob of butter
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2 leeks, finely sliced
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150ml pint white wine
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2 tbsp plain flour
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150ml pint single cream
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grated zest of ½ lemon
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salt and ground black pepper
This classic chicken pie is full of fantastic flavours and healthy foods for you and your baby
1. Place the chicken in a large saucepan with the carrot, celery, one of the onions and three tarragon sprigs. Season with a little salt and pepper and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45min until the chicken is cooked through.
2. Make the pastry by mixing the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut the fat into cubes and add to the flour. Use your fingertips to rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the water gradually, stirring in with a knife. When the dough sticks together, knead it lightly until it forms a ball and wrap in cling film and let it rest.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to cool. Return the stock to the hob and simmer gently for a further 30mins until it’s reduced by half.
4. Meanwhile heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan, add the leeks and the remaining onion and gently cook for about five minutes until softened. Turn up the heat to high, add the wine and simmer rapidly for 3-4 minutes until reduced by half.
5. Stir in the flour and mix well in the pan for one minute. Pour in the cream, about 150ml of the reduced chicken stock and the lemon zest. Season with a little salt and plenty of ground black pepper.
6. Remove the meat from the cooled chicken carcass and chop or shred into small pieces. Add this and the remaining tarragon, chopped, to the leek and cream mixture and stir together. Set aside to cool.
7. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Place a baking tray in the oven to heat.
8. Line the base of a 30 x 20cm rectangular or 26cm round pie tin with two-thirds of the pastry and fill with the chicken mixture. Brush the pastry edges with a beaten egg.
9. Roll out the remaining pastry to make a lid and lay over the filling, crimping the edged of the pastry with your fingertips to seal. Trim away any excess and brush with a beaten egg to glaze. Place on the baking tray and bake for 30 – 35mins until the pastry is golden and crisp.
This recipe is from Pie by Angela Boggiano (Mitchell Beazley, £15.99)