A regular chicken pie is actually classic comfort food and this particular fuss free recipe is actually one you will wish to make again and once again. It is well worth creating your own personal pastry in case you are able to because the ready made things just does not match up to the buttery loveliness of homemade.
Ingredients
For the filling
One moderate chicken
One onion, peeled
Six cloves
One carrot, peeled
Two bay leaves
One chicken stock cube
6-8 peppercorns
For the pastry
450g/1lb plain flour
½ tsp salt or even to taste
120g/4½oz butter, cold
120g/4½oz vegetable shortening, cold
One free range egg, beaten, for glazing
For the sauce
250ml/9fl oz whole milk
55g/2oz butter
55g/2oz plain flour
Method
Place the chicken in a big pan. Stud the onion with cloves and put it to the pan with the carrot, bay leaves, stock cube and peppercorns. Covering with water that is cool and bring to the boil, and then lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is actually cooked. This can take aproximatelly forty five minutes-1¼ hours, with regards to the dimensions of the chicken.
Meanwhile, make the pastry. Sift the flour and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Dice the cold butter and vegetable shortening and run them into the flour until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Mix in only enough cool water to develop a stiff dough. Turn this out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to develop a smooth ball of dough. Wrap in spot or clingfilm in a clear plastic container and chill for a minimum of thirty minutes.
When the chicken is actually cooked, walk up the pan off the heat. Take out the chicken and put it on a plate. Set the pan back on the heat and minimize the cooking liquid to aproximatelly 250ml/9fl oz. Strain the reduced fluid into a jug and leave to cool, then skim off the fat and discard it.
When the chicken is actually awesome enough to manage, reduce the meat into chunks and discard the skin and bones.
For the sauce, take out the cloves from the onion. Add the onion in a food processor with the reserved stock. Blend until soft, then pour the milk and set aside.
Melt the butter in a pan and add in the flour. Gradually pour the stock and milk, then bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Greatly reduce the heat and simmer for 4 5 minutes to cook out the sample of the flour. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then fold the meat carefully into the sauce. Set up the combination aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 220C/210C Fan/Gas seven. Roll out two thirds of the pastry and make use of it to line a 20-25cm/8-10in pie plate and pour the cooled chicken mix.
Roll out the remaining pastry to create a lid for the pie, brush the advantage with beaten egg and pinch the edges in concert to seal.
Decorate the top of the pie with leaves made from pastry trimmings and brush all over with beaten egg. Can make a gap in the top of the pie to let the steam to escape, then bake in the preheated oven for aproximatelly forty five minutes, or perhaps until the pastry is actually golden brown.