Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
- 12 chicken thighs, skin and bone removed
- 100g (3 1/2 oz) button mushrooms
- 100g (3 1/2 oz) mixed wild mushrooms
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- 4 stalks fresh thyme
- 50g (2 oz) butter
- 30ml (2 tbsp) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 250ml (1 cup) pale ale
- 100ml (3 1/2 oz) double cream
- 200ml (7fl oz) chicken stock
- Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
- Pinch of salt
- 125ml (1/2 cup) fresh parsley, chopped
- 500g (1lb 2oz) ready-made short-crust pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the chicken and fry until the chicken begins to turn white. Add the mushrooms and continue to fry until the chicken is golden-brown.
- Remove the chicken and mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Add the onion, garlic and thyme to the same pan and fry for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Remove from the heat and set aside with the chicken and mushrooms.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for about three minutes, stirring constantly until it has formed a thick smooth paste (this is called a roux). Add the ale and mix well and continue to cook.
- Mix the cream and stock together in a jug, then add the nutmeg, white pepper and salt, to taste. Pour the liquid slowly into the flour mixture, whisking all the time until smooth. Simmer over a gentle heat, stirring constantly, for about five minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
- Stir in the chopped parsley and pour the sauce over the chicken and mushroom mixture. Mix well, then spoon into 4 individual pie dishes or 1 larger dish and leave until completely cool.
- Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is the thickness of a pound coin. Brush the edges of the pie dishes with beaten egg, lay the pastry on top, press down the edges and trim. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg and cut some leaf shapes out of the left-over pastry to decorate the top of the pie.
- Make two or three slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape and then bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden-brown on top.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Calories: 1159
- Sugar: Sugars
- Sodium: 254 mg
- Fat: 70.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 66.2 g
- Fiber: Dietary Fiber
- Protein: 57.6 g
- Cholesterol: 225 mg