Don’t be afraid to experiment with dumplings, add your own flavours to compliment your dish!
Chicken, leek and ham pie with suet pastry crust
Serves 6
Ingredients
Pastry lid
200g self-raising flour
100g suet
Pinch salt
150ml water
Pie filling
750g chicken (Cut into 1inch cubes)
250g ham (Cut into 1cm cubes)
150g leeks (sliced)
150g Spanish onion (chopped 1inch)
25g Garlic, finely chopped
25g Flat leaf parsley
For the sauce
50g unsalted butter
50g plain flour
2pts milk
Method
Melt the butter and add the plain flour to make a sandy/grainy roux.
Heat the milk in a separate pan, when hot, add to the roux to make the sauce. Cookout and check the seasoning.
Saute the chicken until nicely golden in a pan.
Season well, place in a large bottomed pan and add the ham.
Next sauté the leeks, onions and garlic. Remove from the pan and drain through a colander. Add to the pan with the chicken and ham.
Once the sauce is cooked out add to the mix in the pan. Place on the heat till the chicken is cooked, then add the chopped flat-leaf parsley. Check the seasoning.
Put the mix into a pie dish and allow to cool slightly whilst you make the pastry.
Mix the pastry ingredients to create a dough which is soft, but not sticky. Roll out pastry and cover the pie dish, ensuring that all edges are sealed. Cut off excess pastry.
Brush with egg wash and bake in the oven for 35mins at 180’C.
