Description
Jamie Oliver’s chicken ham and leek pie combines comfort and elegance in one delightful dish. Home cooks can savor this hearty British classic with simple ingredients and classic techniques that guarantee a memorable meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 chicken breasts, skin removed
- 150g/5½oz ham, cut into 2cm/¾in chunks
- 2 leeks, trimmed and cut into 1cm/½in slices
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 450ml/16fl oz chicken stock
- 200ml/7fl oz milk
- 150ml/5fl oz double cream
- 2–3 tbsps white wine (optional)
- 350g/12oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 200g/7oz butter
- 75g/2¾oz butter
- 55g/2oz plain flour
- sea salt flakes
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 free-range egg, beaten with 1 tbsp cold water
- 1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze
Instructions
- Sauce Preparation: Create a velvety base by gradually whisking milk into the pan, incorporating reserved stock and optional wine. Simmer gently for three minutes until the mixture reaches a smooth, slightly thickened consistency.
- Seasoning and Cooling: Season with salt and pepper, then delicately fold in cream. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, ensuring direct contact to prevent skin formation. Allow the sauce to cool completely.
- Pastry Creation: Combine butter and flour in a food processor, pulsing until the texture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Introduce egg and water, blending until a cohesive dough forms. Separate and reserve 250 grams for the pie lid.
- Dough Shaping: On a flour-dusted surface, roll out the pastry, maintaining an even 5-millimeter thickness. Extend the dough 4 centimeters beyond the pie dish’s diameter. Carefully transfer using a rolling pin, gently pressing to eliminate air pockets and allowing excess to drape over the dish edges.
- Oven Preparation: Position the oven rack with a preheated baking sheet at 200 degrees Celsius (or 180 degrees Celsius fan setting). This ensures a crisp, golden pastry base and even cooking throughout the pie.
- Filling Assembly: Layer seasoned chicken, ham, and leeks into the prepared pastry shell. Pour the cooled, creamy sauce evenly over the ingredients, ensuring complete coverage.
- Pie Topping: Drape the reserved pastry lid over the filling, sealing the edges by crimping or pressing with a fork. Create small ventilation slits to allow steam escape during baking.
- Baking Finale: Transfer the pie to the preheated baking sheet. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes until the pastry turns a rich, golden-brown and the filling bubbles tantalizingly beneath the crust.
Notes
- Sauce Smoothing Technique: Gradually whisk milk to prevent lumps and achieve a silky, consistent texture without clumps.
- Cooling Sauce Hack: Cover sauce directly with plastic wrap touching its surface to prevent undesirable skin formation during cooling.
- Pastry Rolling Pro Tip: Frequently rotate dough while rolling to maintain uniform thickness and prevent sticking or uneven edges.
- Oven Preparation Trick: Preheating a baking sheet ensures crisp bottom crust and even heat distribution for perfectly golden pastry.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 706
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 946mg
- Fat: 52g
- Saturated Fat: 31g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 208mg