Monday, December 5, 2011

Chicken & Vegetable Pie

Chicken & Vegetable Pie
I love a good chicken pie (who doesn't!) and the Thermomix makes pie-making so easy! 

I will usually make a big batch of filling and make 2-3 pies and freeze some for another day - I figure that while I've got all the ingredients out, it's not that much extra time to do a few spares. 

In Winter, we usually have this with mash, steamed veg and gravy but in the warmer months we ditch the carbs all together and just have it with a big green salad.


Chicken & Vegetable Pie

Ingredients:-

Pastry (from Everyday Cookbook):
200g plain flour
100g butter - cut into pieces and chilled
1/4 tsp salt
50-60g cold water
1 sprig thyme - foliage only

Filling:
4 cloves garlic
2 leeks - white section, roughly chopped
2 carrots - roughly chopped
150g bacon - roughly chopped
60g butter
600g chicken breasts - trimmed, chopped into 1.5cm cubes
2 tsp chicken/vege stock concentrate
30g plain flour
250g water
1 cup peas/chopped beans

Method:-

Pastry (from Everyday Cookbook):

1.  Place flour, butter and salt into TMX bowl and mix for 10 seconds on speed 6 (until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs).

2.  Add thyme.  Set dial to closed lid position and knead for 10-20 seconds on interval speed to form the dough, adding the water in through the hole in the lid.  (Add a little more water if necessary to help it bind.)

3.  Turn mixture onto a floured board and knead lightly.  Wrap in cling wrap and put into refrigerator for about 15 minutes (while you make the filling).

Filling:

1.  Add garlic, leeks, carrots and bacon rashers into TMX bowl.  Chop by pressing the turbo button 3 times.

2.  Add butter and saute for 2 minutes, at 100° on reverse on speed 1 (with MC removed).

3.  Add chicken, stock, flour and water.  Cook for 10 minutes, at 100° on reverse on speed 1.

Place into a large bowl, mix through peas/beans and allow to cool in fridge while rolling out pastry.

Assembly:-

Preheat oven to 180C.

1.  Roll pastry out to 4-5mm thickness and line 20cm pie dish. This is usually enough pastry for 1 large family pie and then some smaller pies (for lunchboxes).  Roll out and reserve pastry for lid of pie and then, if you have enough pastry, roll out again very thinly and cut a circle the same size as the pie base and double-line the pie base.

2.  Add cooled chicken filling to pie and cover with pastry lid.  Pinch edges together to seal and then brush pastry with milk or egg.  Cut a couple of slots in the pie top and decorate with pastry leaves or shapes.

3.  Cook in oven until golden brown - approx. 40 minutes.

Tips:-

I usually make a double batch of pastry so that I have plenty of pastry for the double-lining, the top and decorations.  If there's any leftovers, I either just roll it out and freeze it or I roll it out and, using a cookie cutter, make pastry biscuits for the boys to have in lunchboxes.

4 comments:

  1. This is a great recipe. Thank you for sharing :)

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  2. Making this for dinner tonight! I did notice that it looks like you forgot to mention to add the water in the pastry instructions but I figured it out :)

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    Replies
    1. Jen, oops! Thanks for that - I've fixed it up. xx

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