Chicken, Mushroom and Leek Pie

Do you know one of my favourite things about Winter? Pies! I love the tummy warming, delicious fillings and the flaky pastry. I especially love a homemade pie and that's what I have for you today. A very easy Chicken, Mushroom and Leek Pie in a creamy sauce for you to make this week.

Ingredients

Shortcrust pastry:
450g plain flour
200g butter, chilled
Water

Pie filling:
300g diced chicken
500ml chicken stock
1 garlic clove
100g creme fraiche
1 large leek
Handful of mushrooms

Putting it all Together

Make up the pastry by sifting flour into a bowl and adding the butter. Rub together to form fine breadcrumbs. Add a little bit of water until the mixture forms into a firm dough. Pop in the fridge to chill until you are ready to use.

Lightly fry the garlic and meanwhile chop the onions. Add the onions to the pan, cook until soft and remove from pan.

Add the diced chicken to the same pan and cook until golden. Add the mushrooms and cook through before adding the chicken stock.

Allow to simmer for 20 minutes until the liquid has reduced.

Whilst the mixture is reducing, remove the dough from the fridge and halve it. Roll one portion of the dough out and line a pie dish. Cut a circle of baking paper and place over the pastry before filling with baking beads. Blind bake for 15 minutes in the oven (180c/350f). Take out of the oven and remove the baking beads and paper.

After 20 minutes add the creme fraiche and stir through. Leave the mixture on the heat to bubble and thicken. Slice the leeks and add before pouring the whole lot into the pastry case.

Roll out the remaining pastry and cover the dish, forming a lid. I used my new decorative rolling pin for this one!

Brush the pastry with egg or milk and put back in the oven to cook for 25mins or until the pastry is golden brown (180c/350f). Serve with mash potato, carrots and peas and enjoy feeling warm in these winter months.

Recipe - Pumpkin Pie

I'm not a coffee lover so you will never find me with a PSL (Pumpkin Spiced Latte) over the autumn months even though I'd love to try one. Something else that I have never tried but thought, 'why the hell not give it a shot!' is Pumpkin Pie.

Making use of the leftovers from carving that pumpkin this is a sweet treat way to make sure nothing goes to waste. The spices make it taste just like my favourite season should and it will be a struggle not to eat the whole thing. Maybe just one more slice, I must say I don't know why I had never given it a go before!

Ingredients

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

110g butter
300g flour
80g caster sugar
1 egg

Pumpkin Pie Filling

750g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
350g sweet shortcrust pastry
plain flour, for dusting
140g caster sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fresh nutmeg, grated
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
25g butter, melted
175ml milk

Method to the Madness

Make up pastry by rubbing the flour and butter together until in crumbs. Add the sugar and egg and bring together into a soft dough.

Place the pumpkin in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Once tender drain the pumpkin and let cool.

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a loose-bottomed tart tin. Pop in the fridge to chill for 15 mins. Line the pastry with baking parchment and baking beans, then bake for 15 mins. Remove the baking beans and paper, and cook for another 10 mins until the base is pale golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

 Increase oven temperature to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Push the cooled pumpkin through a sieve into a large bowl. In a different bowl, combine the sugar, salt, nutmeg and half the cinnamon. Next mix in the beaten eggs, melted butter and milk, then add to the pumpkin purée and stir to combine.

Pour into the pastry shell and cook for 10 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

Continue to bake for 35-40 mins until the filling has just set. If you fancy take out after 20 minutes to add some pastry decoration.

Leave to cool, then remove the pie from the tin. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon. Serve chilled.

Happy Halloween!
C x

Recipe - Coconut Macaroons

I love coconut and I love condensed milk so this recipe might just be one of my favourites. Crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle these macaroons are quick to make and keep for while (if they last that long!)

Ingredients

400g sweetened shredded coconut
200ml condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs whites
120g milk chocolate

Method to the Madness

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line two trays with baking paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together the shredded coconut, condensed milk and vanilla extract.

Separate the yolks and whites carefully!

  
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Using two spoons, form heaped tablespoons of the mixture into mounds on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the bottoms and edges are deeply golden.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stopping and stirring every 30 second intervals so it doesn't burn. Dip the bottoms of the macaroons in the chocolate and return upside down to the trays.

Place the macaroons in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so the chocolate to sets then eat the whole lot with a cup of tea.

C x