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CHICKEN, SWEETCORN, CHESTNUT AND MUSHROOM PIE

Here is a very tasty pie and hot water crust pastry is so simple to make. Do try it!
Use Quorn instead of chicken and white pure vegetable fat such as Cookeen or Trex, instead of lard for a vegetarian version.
Ingredients:

For the hot water crust pastry:

350g/12oz flour (half plain and half wholemeal)

110g/4oz lard

150ml/1/4 pint cold water

For the filling:

2 breasts of raw chicken, cubed (Quorn is excellent for a vegetarian)

50g/2oz mushrooms, sliced

Approx 50g/2oz sweetcorn kernels

110g/4oz chestnuts, shelled, peeled, chopped (use walnut halves if chestnuts unavailable)

seasoning and mixed herbs

egg glaze

Method:

  1. Set oven to 190c/375f Gas Reg 5
  2. Sift white flour into a basin and stir in the wholemeal flour
  3. Melt the fat in the water, bring to the boil and stir into the flours using a wooden spoon
    Stir and knead it only until it forms a ball.
  4. Cool until just warm by placing on a work surface covered with a glass bowl, The pastry moulds best when just warm and will hold its shape just supported by silicone paper.
  5. Raise the pastry by hand reserving 1/4 of pastry for a lid or roll out 3/4 of the pastry and use to line the base and sides of a 900g (2lb) loaf tin. Always keep remaining pastry covered with glass bowl to prevent drying out.
  6. Fill pie by spreading half the chicken over the base of the pastry shell.
  7. Cover with layers of mushrooms, sweetcorn and chestnuts. Season well.
  8. Top with the remaining chicken and press down firmly but gently.
  9. For loaf tin roll out the remaining pastry to form a lid and place on top of pie. Sealing with egg glaze.
  10. For hand raised method: strap folded, silicone paper around the sides of pie, drawing the pie into a good shape.
  11. Roll out lid and seal to pie with beaten egg glaze. Snip with scissors to give a good seal.
  12. Crimp attractively and decorate with pastry leaves and berries.
  13. Make vent hole in top - glaze with beaten egg.
  14. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes then reduce temperature to 180c/350f reg 4 and cook for a further hour
  15. For pie made by hand raised method remove collar 20 mins before the end of cooking time and glaze then return to the oven. If using a tin allow to cool completely before removing from tin.

This recipe is one of a series produced by Sue Bridger for the NFWI to illustrate vegetable cookery at the RHS show in Tatton.

If you are interested in gardening or cooking why not check out the residential courses available at the WI's Denman College? Courses run for 2,3 and 4 days and the college is open also to non-members.