LEFT OVER RUSTIC ROAST CHICKEN PIE

What could be a better way to use up left over roast chicken, but to encase it in a rich buttery short crust pastry with left over roast chicken gravy, taking all the beautiful flavours and showcasing them. 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PIE FILLING

Left over roast chicken

Left over roast chicken gravy

OR

to make from scratch

2 chicken breasts poached

800ml chicken stock

25g butter

25g flour

50ml dry white wine

50ml double cream

Salt and pepper

parsley

To make the pie filling from scratch poach the chicken breasts until just cooked in the chicken stock, leave the breast in the stock until cooled.  Sieve and reserve the stock in a jug.  Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour to make a roux, cook gently for a couple of minutes then add the white wine and cook out for a couple of minutes, then start to add the reserved chicken stock a little at a time stirring in well until you have a medium thick sauce, add the cream and parsley and season to taste.

Pull the chicken apart and add to your gravy, this is now ready to fill your pie with.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PASTRY

200g cold butter diced

400g plain flour

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch saffron

50ml ice cold water

1 egg wash

I like to make this by hand as I feel it gives you a lighter crumblier short pastry.  Rub the butter into the flour until you have breadcrumbs, mix in the salt and saffron then sprinkle over the water and bring together to form a tight ball.  Wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge to rest for half an hour.  One of the keys to perfect pastry is keeping all the ingredients cold and not over worked. 

Lightly flour your surface and roll out your pastry to line your pie tins, sometimes I like individual pies as you get more pastry and sometimes I make a large family pie with more filling.  Generously fill the pie tin, brush the edges with your egg wash and place the pastry lid on top and crimp the edges to seal, I like to decorate the tops of my pies with left over pastry shapes.  Egg wash and bake in the oven at 190 degrees for 30-40  minutes until golden and crisp.  If you have any left over gravy serve with the pie.  I often eat my pies on their own but sometimes I love a really buttery mashed potato or lots of steamed greens.