Easy Peasy Chicken Pie

Don't you just love ready made pastry? Makes life so much easier, although I must say there is something rewarding about making your own. However, sometimes it's just not necessary and this pie always looks so spectacular every time. And it's not as difficult as it looks.

For this pie I use a non stick cake tin. The sort that one uses for layer cakes. It has a nice lip which makes it easy to seal the pastry edges.

You need 1 packet of ready rolled short pastry for the bottom and one of puff pastry for the lid.

The INGREDIENTS for the filling are as follows:

½  large onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
2 small carrots finely diced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 punnet button mushrooms, quartered
190 gm diced bacon
400 gm chicken fillets cut into small pieces. (bite size)
1½ Tablespoons chopped fresh sage.
250ml white wine
250 ml milk
250 ml Chicken stock
3 teaspoons corn starch. (Maizena)
1½ Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
Salt and pepper

METHOD

Saute the bacon in a small pan and set aside. Do the same with the chicken just to sear the edges.

Fry the onion, green pepper and carrots in a pot on a low heat until the onions are soft and transparent.

Add the garlic and fry gently for a couple more mins.

Add the bacon and chicken to the pot along with the mushrooms and sage.

Pour on the white wine, milk and chicken stock and bring to the boil.

Simmer on the lowest heat for 20 mins.

Thicken with the corn starch and add parsley, salt & pepper.

Very Important: Make sure that the sauce is not too runny.

TO ASSEMBLE THE PIE

Lightly grease the non stick cake tin

open out the short pastry and roll out until it is big enough to fit in and around the tin. Place in tin. Cut away excess pastry.

Using a slotted spoon transfer the filling to the pie. Make sure that the gravy is not too runny and only add enough to moisten the pie once all the solid filling has been added. If the sauce is too liquid reduce down or add more corn starch.

Now place the puff pastry on top and trim to match the bottom. Crimp around the edges with thumb and forefinger or use a fork.

Beat one egg with a little milk and brush over the lid. You can also cut some decorative shapes with the left over pastry as I have done. Very easy but looks pretty cool. Don't forget to cut a slit or two in the lid to let the steam out while it bakes.

Bake in a 180° C oven for 40/45 mins but keep an eye on it.

To remove it from the tin, just wait for it to cool a little and then place a plate on top and flip over. Place a plate underneath and flip again so that it is right side up. And voila!!! Your friends and family will be SO impressed.