Chicken, Ham & Leek Pie

Ingredients

For the pie filling

• 3 Free Range chicken breasts
• 450ml chicken stock
• 4 Farndon Fields leeks
• 150g thickly carved ham, cut into chunks
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 75g butter
• 55g plain flour
• 200ml milk

For the pastry

• 350g plain flour
• 200g butter
• 1 free-range egg
• 1 tbsp water

Method

• Heat the chicken stock in a lidded saucepan. Add the chicken breast and bring to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts and place on a plate. Pour the cooking liquor into a large jug.
• Melt 25g/1oz of butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the leeks and fry for 2 minutes, until just softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the remaining butter and stir in the flour as soon as the butter has melted. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
• Slowly pour the milk into the pan, stirring well between each addition. Gradually add 250ml/10fl oz of the reserved stock, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl and cover the surface of the sauce with cling film. Set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Put a baking tray in the oven to heat.
• For the pastry, put the flour and butter in a food processor and blend on the pulse setting until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg and water and blend until the mixture forms a ball. Portion off 250g pastry for the lid.

• Roll the remaining pastry out on a lightly floured surface, turning the pastry frequently until around 5mm/¼in thick and 4cm/1½in larger than the pie dish. Lift the pastry over the rolling pin and place it gently into the pie dish. Press the pastry firmly up the sides, making sure there are no air bubbles. Leave the excess pastry overhanging the sides.
• Cut the chicken breasts into 3cm/1¼in pieces. Stir the chicken and ham into the cooled sauce. Pour the chicken filling into the pie dish. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg. Roll out the reserved pastry for the lid.
• Cover the pie with the pastry lid and press the edges together firmly to seal. Trim any excess pastry.
• Make a small hole in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife. Glaze the top of the pie with beaten egg. Bake on the preheated tray in the centre of the oven for 35–40 minutes, or until the pie is golden brown all over and the filling is piping hot.

Recipe adapted from BBC Food Hairy Bikers: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/creamy_chicken_ham_and_03877