Chicken & leek pie

While you're getting this together, why not double up on the ingredients and freeze a lovely chicken and leek pie for another time?

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooling time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Calories per portion: 1072 Kcal
Fat per portion: 58g of which saturated 27.6g
Serves: 2
Suitable for freezing

What you need:

• Butter 50g (2oz)
• Baby leek 1, trimmed, washed and sliced
• Carrots 2, peeled and thickly sliced
• Skinless chicken breasts 2 (approximately 200g (7oz) each), chopped
• Plain flour 2 tbsp
• Milk 350ml (12fl oz)
• Chicken stock cube 1
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Puff pastry ½ x 500g pack
• Egg 1, beaten for glaze

What you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Melt half of the butter in a saucepan and add the leek and carrots and cook for 7-10 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. Remove from the pan and place in a 900ml (1½ pint) pie dish. Add the chicken to the pan and cook over a high heat for 3-4 minutes, turning the meat occasionally until browned. Add the meat to the pie dish and mix with the vegetables.
2. Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Add the flour and stir for a minute, then gradually add the milk, allowing the mixture to come to the boil between each addition and beating well. Add the stock cube and seasoning and stir until dissolved. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Leave the filling to cool for 15-20 minutes.
3. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, until slightly larger than the pie dish. Cut thin strips off the edges, dampen the dish rim with water and stick on the strips. Dampen the pastry around the rim and place the main piece of pastry on top. Trim off excess and seal the edges with a fork. Brush egg glaze over the pastry and make a couple of holes in the centre.
4. Place the dish on a baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Serve immediately.

Handy cook's tip:

Freeze when the pie has been covered with pastry. Allow the pie to defrost thoroughly before baking in the oven.

Handy shopper's tip

If you can't buy an individual leek, then an onion may be substituted in its place.

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