Hearty Chicken & Mushroom Pie

Now the weather is finally starting to feel autumnal after the glorious Indian summer, it seemed the right time to get the Canteen cookbook out and make a very hearty meal for the girls who were visiting the new place and watching the first X factor live show.

I have never made a pie before so followed the recipe pretty much to the letter. The potential of the pie quickly became apparent and I can't wait to start trying out some of my own concoctions. This pie was amazing though and I was so proud of my first attempt that was decorated with an 'X', the porcini mushrooms and the slow cooked chicken thigh meat added so much depth and flavour.

Canteen's Chicken and Mushroom Pie

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 45g butter

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 100g celery, diced

• 200g leeks

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• 10g fresh tarragon sprigs, leaves picked and chopped

• 700g skinless chicken thigh meat, cut in 4-5cm chunks

• 1 heaped tbsp dried porcini

• 300ml white wine

• 25g plain white flour

• 200ml double cream

• 1 heaped tbsp dijon mustard

• 200g button mushrooms, halved

• salt and white pepper

To finish:

• 700g puff pastry

• 1 egg, beaten

Method:

1. Heat the oil and 25g of the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan. Sweat the onion, celery and half the leeks for about 10 minutes or until soft and translucent.

2. Add the garlic, tarragon, chicken, dried porcini, stock, wine and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook on a low heat for 30-45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

3. Pour into a sieve set over a bowl, to strain the cooking liquid. Reserve the chicken mixture.

4. Melt the remaining 20g butter in a clean pan. whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until bubbling. Gradually whick in the cooking liquid and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the cream and mustard and check the seasoning. Remove the heat.

5. Add the chicken mixture, mushrooms and remaining leeks to the sauce and mix together. Allow to cool completely.

6. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Butter the inside of a 28-30cm pie dish that is at least 8cm deep.

7. Roll out the pastry on a floured board to a thickness of 3mm. Cut an oval piece of pastry to line the dish. The pastry needs to be long and wide enough to cover the bottom and sides of the dish, with some extra for overhang. Place in the dish, leaving the edges hanging over the sides. brush the overhand with a little beaten egg.

8. Fill with the cold pie filling. Cut a piece of pastry for the lid - this should be slightly larger than the dish - and lay it over the filling. Dip your fingers in flour and pinch the edges of the lid to the edges of the pastry lining the dish, to seal them together. Trim off excess pastry with a knife.

9. Cut three or four 1cm slits in the lid, to allow stream to escape whilst baking, brush the lid with beaten egg to glaze. bake for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the filing is bubbling around the edges and through the slits in the lid. Serve hot (with your choice of potatoes and vegetables - I went for mash, broccoli and carrots - classic!).