Chicken Pie...鸡丝派...^^

Chicken Pie

I love this recipe, it is simple, easy and the result is....delicious. I use to make 1 or 2 dozen of these and kept it in the freezer. When we have friends get together or tea party, I would do this 1 or 2 days ahead. When I need it is there. Just pop it into the oven and it will be ready in half an hour. I know making these are quite a trouble, but they are a real treat. Even your children love it.

Ingredients for the pastry:
250 gm plain flour
125 gm cool butter, chopped into cube
1-2 tbps iced cold water
2 nos of egg yolk

Method:

1) Put the flour into a bowl, add butter. Rub butter into the flour with your fingertips until fine and crumbly.

2) Lightly beat the yolk and mix in 1-2 tbsp of iced water.

3) Pour the yolk mixture into the crumbs. Use finger tip to mix the crumbs into a rough dough. Do not knead just mixed.

4) Wrap the dough with a cling foil and put in to chilled for 20 minutes.

Ingredient for white sauce:
30 gms butter
25g plain flour
320ml full cream milk

Ingredient for the filling:
1 tbsp butter
125g cold cooked chicken, diced
200g cooked potatoes, diced
100g cooked carrot, diced
1 onion-diced
1/2 tsp black pepper
salt to taste

Method:
for white sauce..
1) Melt the butter in a thick bottom saucepan over low heat, then whisk in flour till combine.

2) Off the heat, pour in the milk a little at a time, whisking to a smooth paste as you go. When all the milk is incorporated, put back on the heat stir till it is a thick sauce. Do not stop stiring at any time. Pour the thick white sauce into a bowl and cover up with a clingfilm to stop a skin forming. Set a side to cool.

Method for the filling:
3) Melt a tablespoon of butter in saucepan or wok. Saute the diced onion, add in potatoes, carrots and diced chicken, stir to combined. Add in black pepper and salt to taste.

4) Dish out the filling let cool. When it is cooled mix all the filling into the thick white sauce.

5) Roll out the pastry into a 5mm thick sheet on a floured surface. Use a round cutter to the pastry to a big enough size and line into the bases you desired. As for me I uses a cupcake tray or pie cases. Leave a generous of pastry hanging over the edge for the pie cover to seal together later on.

6) Spoon the filling into the pastry lined cups. You can filled it up till full. Roll out another pastry sheet and cut out a round size to fit for the pie lid. Use a cookie cutter(shape that you desired) to cut the middle of the lid. This will let out the air and also a decoration for the pie.

7) Dampen the side of the pastry with some water and lay the lid on and seal the side by pinching the lid to the side or use a fork to press to side of the pie so that they seal together. Beat the remaining egg for glaze, paint each pie with a pastry brush.
Brush a little water on the back of the cutted out cookie shape pastry and paste back on the lid and glaze with the beaten egg too.

8) Perheated oven at 200C and bake for 25 minutes.

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