Chicken,bacon and leek pie

With winter drawing in, the oven is getting full usage. Baking fever has swept the nation with the success of the great british bake off on BBC2 and here's a tribute from us, a pie that's both simple and satisfying only requiring an hour of your time.


Serves 2-4

Shortcrust pastry (pre prepared for maximum convenience, or feel free to use puff)
2-4 Chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, diced into chunks
2-3 Medium size leeks, trimmed and chopped finely
4-6 Rashers smoked streaky bacon, cut into lardons
Half tsp nutmeg
200ml Milk
50g Butter
75g Parmesan, grated
1 Medium egg, separated with yolk reserved
1 Tablespoon plain flour


1. Preheat the oven to 200C.

2. Melt 10g of butter in a wide frying pan and add the leeks, set over a medium heat until the leeks soften in the butter. Season with a tiny pinch of salt and a good helping of pepper. Add the bacon and fry until coloured and slightly crisped.

3. Add the chicken and brown all over but do not cook all the way through, this should take around 2-3 minutes.

4. Leave the leek mixture to cool while you prepare a bechemel sauce. In a saucepan, add the rest of the butter over a medium-low heat to melt but not bubble, as soon as the butter has melted add the flour and stir vigorously (a whisk is rather handy for this) until it forms a pale paste, gradually add the milk stirring all the while until the mixture begins to thicken, once all the milk is added and the sauce thickened, add the parmesan, nutmeg and a good pinch of salt and pepper, taste and add to the leek mixture.

5. In an oval-shaped pie dish add the prepared filling and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.

6. Once cooled, beat the egg yolk in a bowl and roll out the pastry, brush the edges of the pie dish with the egg and lay the pastry on top, making sure that it sticks all the way around the edge, brush the top of the pastry with the remaining egg wash and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes until well browned on top.

7. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve with mash or seasonal vegetables.