Mini Chicken And Leek Pies Recipes

Steps:

• In a large pan, melt the butter and cook the leeks, covered, for 10 mins until really soft. Remove from the heat and stir through the cheese sauce, chives, chicken, milk and mustard. Mix well and spoon into small dishes or ramekins.
• Un-roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Use a saucer to cut circles for the pie tops. Place on top, trim to fit, crimp the edges and brush with egg to glaze. Wrap tightly in cling film and freeze for up to 2 months.
• To cook from frozen, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Remove the cling film, cover with foil and put on a baking tray in the middle of the oven. Bake for 15 mins, then reduce the temperature to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and bake for a further 45 mins, removing the foil for the final 30 mins. Serve with green vegetables.
• To cook from fresh, heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Cook for 45 mins, until the pastry is golden and puffed, and the filling is piping hot.

Steps:

• Roll out pastry until a little thinner than a £1 coin. Cut out 8 x 9cm circles and use to line 8 holes of a muffin tin. Divide chicken, peas and asparagus between moulds, season, then dollop over 1 tbsp crème fraîche.
• Cut out 8 x 7cm circles to make tops for the pies. Lightly brush edges of the pie bases with egg, place each top onto its pie and press down into the filling. Pinch together the sides to seal. Leave to rest in the fridge for 30 mins, or up to 2 days if preparing in advance.
• Heat oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6. Brush tops with more egg and bake pies for 30-35 mins or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve warm or leave to cool.

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a shallow pan and gently cook the leeks with the thyme for 8 mins, or until soft. Add both types of mushrooms and cook for 5 mins more, then turn up the heat a little, add the chicken and stir until the chicken starts to brown. Scatter over the flour and stir to make a paste and continue to cook for 2 mins.
• Splash in the wine, if using, and sizzle for 1 min, stirring, then pour in the stock, cream and lemon juice, season and simmer for 10 mins until the chicken is cooked through. Leave to cool, then pop in the fridge to chill. Can be made up to two days ahead. Assemble the pies as directed in Tom's pie pastry recipe, decorating the tops with any trimmings, if you like.