Chicken Pie with Leek and Cider

• unsalted butter↗60g g
• plain flour↗60g g
• dry cider↗250ml ml
• full‑fat milk↗250ml ml
• Dijon mustard↗1 tbsp
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• crème fraîche↗2 tbsp
• medium leek↗3

  sliced into rings

• large apple1

  peeled, cored and sliced

• cooked chicken meat500g g

  shredded or cut into pieces

• extra mature cheddar↗50g g

  grated

• puff pastry↗375g g
• egg yolks↗2

  beaten with 2 tbsp milk (for egg glaze)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Melt 40 g of butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Stir over medium‑low heat for 1 minute to form a roux. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cider, a little at a time. Stir well with a wooden spoon to avoid lumps. Continue stirring until all the cider is incorporated, then add the milk in the same way. Season, return the saucepan to the heat and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil. The mixture will thicken considerably; once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for about 3 minutes. Add the mustard, lemon juice and crème fraîche, stir and taste.

2. 2

   Melt the remaining butter in a skillet and gently sauté the leeks and apples for 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of water, season, cover and cook over low heat for 8‑10 minutes until softened. If a lot of liquid is released, increase the heat to evaporate it.

3. 3

   Stir half of the cheese into the sauce, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently fold in the leeks and apples, taste – you may want to add more mustard or lemon juice. Cool the sauce in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the pie.

4. 4

   Mix the chicken into the cooled sauce. Transfer the mixture to a 25 × 20 cm pie tin or a round 25 cm diameter tin (capacity 1.3 L). Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and let it chill completely.

5. 5

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C with convection/gas 6). On a lightly floured surface roll the pastry out to a thickness of about 5 mm. Cut a strip the same width as the pie tin’s edge. Moisten the edge and press the strip onto it. Brush the strip with water and lay the remaining pastry on top. Press the pastry lid onto the strip, then trim the excess. Trim the edges and use the leftover pastry to decorate the top of the pie. Make three small slits in the pastry near the centre to allow steam to escape. Brush the top with the egg mixture and bake for 30‑40 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and risen. Serve immediately.