Chicken and bacon pie recipe

This recipe is a family favourite. I normally make it using chicken thighs and drumsticks because the meat has more flavour. I have offered an alternative to substitute breast meat for those who prefer. This recipe will make enough to fill two aluminium pie dishes or 8 individual pasties.

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 750g - 1000g chicken thighs, drumsticks or legs (substitute 600g chicken breasts to reduce calories)
• 250 - 300g streaky bacon cut into squares (substitute back bacon to reduce calories)
• 1 large or 2 medium onions (chopped)
• 2 carrots (diced)
• 1 medium potato peeled and cubed (about 1cm cubes). Keep the potato cubes covered by cold water to stop them from discolouring or freshly prepare them while the onion is frying.
• half a cup of frozen peas
• 150 ml chicken stock (a stock cube dissolved in 100 ml of water will suffice but because it does not contain the gelatin of fresh stock the liquid needs to be reduced)
• 100 ml cream or cream cheese (substitute with a light mayonnaise or salad cream to reduce calories)
• Ice, enough to fill the bottom of a bowl (not required if using chicken breasts)
• Black pepper and salt to taste
• Herbs to taste - I like using about 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, but basil, tarragon or some dried ground rosemary would also work well, or a combination thereof (go easy with rosemary because it can easily overpower the dish).

Pastry:

• 500g strong plain flour sifted
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 50g chicken lard (this will be a by product of cooking the thighs and drumsticks)
• 250g butter (or a butter substitute suitable for baking to reduce calories) refrigerated and cut into cubes (add 50g if using chicken breasts)
• 200ml chilled water

Assembly requirements

• about 100ml flour will be used for dusting the work top and rolling pin when making the dough
• 1 egg beaten

Method

Filling:
If using chicken legs then joint them to separate the thighs and drumsticks. If using chicken breasts then start by frying the bacon on a medium heat and then fry the breasts in the fat from the bacon. When the breasts are cooked then remove from heat and skip to the paragraph where the onion is fried.

For thighs and drumsticks bring a thick bottomed pan to medium heat and place the pieces in the pan with the side that has the most skin to the bottom. I use a non-stick pan so I don't add oil, otherwise a bit of oil may be required. Turn after 7 - 8 minutes. Turn again after 7 - 8 minutes and reduce the heat turning every 3 - 4 minutes until the skin is golden and starting to crisp and the juices run clear (approximately 30 mins total cooking time).

As the chicken is nearing completion, put the ice in a bowl and stand a jar in it to cool. This jar will be used to collect the chicken fat so that it will form lard to be used in the pastry.

Remove the chicken from the pan and allow to cool. Pour the oil into the jar on ice and put into the fridge or freezer.

Using a pair of scissors cut the bacon into strips (about 15 mm wide) and then cut into squares, allowing them to drop into, the frying pan which is back on a medium heat. I find it is quicker to lift 3 rashers together and cut them while stuck together. They will separate as they start to cook and as the pan's contents are stirred. Cook, turning regularly with an egg lifter, until they start to crisp up. Once cooked remove using the lifter and place on a sheet of kitchen roll to drain.

Add the onion to the bacon fat in the pan and cook until golden brown, then add the cubed potato and diced carrot and cook for a further 3 - 4 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add the stock and reduce the heat. Add the herbs and allow to simmer while you remove the chicken from the bone trimming off any fatty skin (for breast, cut into chunky cubes about 15mm). Because I like to make my own stock from the bones I keep them and will freeze them if I don't have enough or have insufficient time to make a stock.

Do not allow the pan to go dry but you do want the liquid to reduce. Add stock or water if required. Cut up any large chunks of chicken and add the chicken back to the pan. Add the peas and cream or cream cheese and bacon and stir through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and allow to cool uncovered.

Pastry:
Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the cubes of butter and the lard to the bowl and rub them in loosely with your hands after washing your hands in cold water (to cool your hands). You need to see bits of butter, so don't overwork it.

Make a well in the bowl and pour in about two-thirds of the chilled water, mix with a rounded knife or spatula until you have a firm rough dough adding extra water if needed. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 20 mins in the fridge.

Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface (sift the flour gently and evenly over the work surface), knead gently and form into a smooth rectangle. Roll the dough in one direction only, until 3 times the width, about 20 x 50cm. Keep edges straight and even. Don't overwork the butter streaks; you should have a marbled effect.

Fold the top third down to the centre, then the bottom third up and over that. Give the dough a quarter turn (to the left or right) and roll out again to three times the length. Fold as before, cover with cling film and chill for at least 20 mins before rolling to use.

Turn out onto a lightly floured board, roll out to form a sheet about 3mm thick.

Assembly

Pie dish
Place a pie dish upside down on the pastry and measure that you can cut out four disks of the same circumference. You may have to roll the pastry slightly thinner or trim some from the ends with excess and add them to the ends with a shortage. Don't scrunch the trimmings together in a ball or you will lose the layers. overlap the trimmings slightly where you need to join them and roll gently to fuse them together and achieve an even thickness.

Cut out 4 circles around the edge of the upturned pie dish. Lift off the spare dough and layer it for re-use. They can be chilled or frozen for another use. To re-roll, allow to come back to room temperature.

This should leave four circles of dough. If you've had to rejoin any sections then select the 2 circles without any joins for the tops. Using the rolling pin, gently lift up the edge of one of the circles selected for the base and roll it back on itself until it can be lifted off the surface and laid in the pie dish. Gently shape it to follow the contours of the dish. With your fingertips gently work the pastry along the rim so that it slightly overlaps onto the flat rim. Repeat with second pie dish.

Spoon the filling into the dishes to fill them. Wipe any filling off the rim with a paper towel. Using the beaten egg, paint all around the rim using a pastry brush. The egg works to stick the base to the lid.

Gently roll the remaining cirlces with an inside out motion to slightly increase their diameters. Lift them using method as described earlier for the bases and drape them carefully, aligning the edges, over the pie dish. Use a fork to press down and seal the edges, and giving a decorative finish. Use a knife to trim off any excess around the edge and to pierce a hole (or a decorative feature) in the centre.

You can also use the left over pastry to design some decorations for the top, such as leaves or a lattice work, attaching them with a bit of egg wash.

Paint the top of the pie with the egg glaze and place in a pre-heated oven at 220 degrees centigrade for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. If the pie is to be frozen then do not glaze.

Pasties
Place a side plate upside down on the pastry and measure that you can cut out eight disks of the same circumference from the pastry sheet. You may have to roll the pastry slightly thinner or trim some from the ends with excess and add them to the ends with a shortage. Don't scrunch the trimmings together in a ball or you will lose the layers. overlap the trimmings slightly where you need to join them and roll gently to fuse them together and achieve an even thickness.

Cut out 8 circles around the edge of the upturned side plate. Lift off the spare dough and layer it for re-use. They can be chilled or frozen for another use. To re-roll, allow to come back to room temperature.

This should leave eight circles of dough. Spoon 2 - 3 tablespoons of the filling off centre onto the circles. Do not over fill them as the edges will be folded over to join leaving a filled half circle shaped pastie. Wipe any filling off the edge with a paper towel. Using the beaten egg, paint all around the edge using a pastry brush. The egg works to stick the edges together.

Gently lift the side without the filling and drape it over, aligning the edges. Use a fork to press down and seal the edges, and giving a decorative finish. Use a knife to trim off any excess around the edge (leave about 1cm) and to pierce a hole in the top.

Paint the top of the pastie with the egg glaze and lift onto a baking tray with an egg-lifter. Place into a pre-heated oven at 220 degrees centigrade for 18 -20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. If the pastie is to be frozen then do not glaze.

Freezing guidelines
Cover loosely with cling film and place in the freezer for about an hour. Once frozen then re-wrap properly in cling film because the frozen pastry is now protected from damage. After they have completely frozen then they can be stacked without damage.

When cooking from frozen then reduce the initial oven temperature to 180 degrees centigrade for 20 minutes and then turn up to 220 for the last 10 - 15 minutes.