8 to 10
Easy
40 minutes
3 hours Preheat the oven to 180°C. Remove the meat and skin from the chickens (reserve the bones for the stock). Flake the meat and chop the skin, then mix together.
In a saucepan, heat the oil and fry the bones over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, peppercorns, cloves and water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1–1½ hours. Strain.
In another saucepan, pan-fry the mushrooms in the butter until golden. Add the wine and reduce for 5 minutes over a low to medium heat. Add the strained stock and simmer briefly.
Mix the cornflour with 1⁄3 cup cold water. Add the cornflour to the stock mixture and stir until it thickens. Remove from the heat, then add the chicken meat and skin and check the seasoning.
Spoon into a pie or casserole dish and set aside to cool.
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and place on top of the pie filling. Brush the pastry with the milk and beaten egg and bake for 50 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
