Chicken, Leek and Ham Pie

• vegetable oil↗1 tbsp tbsp
• chicken thigh fillets↗600g g

  roughly chopped

• butter↗60g g
• leeks↗2

  (about 400g), cleaned and sliced

• garlic cloves↗2

  finely chopped or grated

• white wine↗125ml ml
• wheat flour↗60g g

  plus extra for dusting

• chicken stock↗400ml ml
• milk↗250ml ml
• bay leaves↗2
• thyme sprigs↗few
• ham↗180g g

  (or thickly sliced, or leftover cooked ham), roughly chopped

• puff pastry↗500g pack
• egg↗1

  beaten

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a large pan or pot over medium heat and sauté the chicken until golden brown on all sides (do not cook through at this stage), about 6‑8 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving the oil in the pan.

2. 2

   Add the butter to the pan and sauté the leeks for 8‑10 minutes over medium‑low heat until they become soft but not golden. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute. Pour in the white wine and cook a few minutes until the alcohol evaporates and the liquid reduces slightly.

3. 3

   Sprinkle the flour and stir until a thick roux forms without dry flour lumps. Gradually add the chicken stock, stirring well after each addition, about 5 minutes. Add the milk, bring to a gentle boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add the bay leaves, thyme sprigs, the sautéed chicken and ham. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of salt (the stock and ham already contain salt, so season to taste). Transfer to a large pie dish (our was 30 × 20 cm). The pie can be stored for two days in the refrigerator or three months in the freezer. First let it cool completely, then thaw in the refrigerator overnight before the next step.

4. 4

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C with convection/gas 6. Lightly flour the work surface, then roll out the puff pastry to a thickness of 0.5 cm. Cut a circle large enough to cover the pie dish with a slight overhang. Lightly brush the rim of the dish with a little beaten egg, then cover the filling with the pastry, pressing to the edge of the dish. Crimp the edges and, if desired, use leftover pastry for decoration, attaching it with egg. Brush the top of the pastry with a little more beaten egg and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until golden and the filling is very hot. The pie can be cooled before glazing for up to two days, or frozen, covered, for up to three months (must be frozen in a freezer‑safe dish). It can be cooked from frozen for 1‑1.5 hours until evenly heated.