Ingredients

Method

• 250 g cake flour
• 190 g chilled butter, cubed
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 1 T cold water
For the white sauce
• 30 g butter
• 2 T cake flour
• 500 ml milk
• 250 ml chicken stock
• 3 T double cream
• 2 T Dijon mustard
For the filling
• 1 T canola oil
• 100 g bacon, diced
• 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 30 g butter
• 200 g leeks, sliced into rounds
• 3 red apple, peeled, cored and cubed
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 T fresh tarragon, chopped (or 1 t dried)

Method

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Place the flour in a mixing bowl and rub in the butter using your fingertips.

When the mixture starts resembling breadcrumbs, add 1 egg yolk and the cold water and mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Knead the dough on a clean, floured surface until it forms a ball. Cover with clingwrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Remove the clingwrap and gently roll out the dough on a clean, floured surface using a floured rolling pin. Roll out slightly larger than a 24 cm pie dish and return to the fridge while you make the filling.

To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes, then add the milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.

As soon as the mixture thickens, add the chicken stock and double cream and whisk again until the sauce thickens.

Remove from the heat and stir in the Dijon mustard. Lay a sheet of clingwrap on the surface of the sauce and allow to cool.

To make the filling, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside, keeping the oil in the pan.

Roughly portion the chicken thighs and brown in the same pan in which the bacon was fried. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the butter, leeks and apples to the pan and sauté. Once the leeks have softened, return the bacon and chicken to the pan, season to taste and cook for a further 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and cool.

Add the cooled filling to the white sauce, sprinkle in the chopped tarragon and combine. Pour the filling into your pie dish.

Cover the top of the dish with the pastry. Crimp the edges, beat the remaining egg yolk and brush onto the pastry.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Allow the pie to cool slightly before serving.