Chicken and Leek Pie

Ingredients:

enough shortcrust pastry for a 22cm pie shell
1 whole chicken (about 2kg) de-boned and cut into bite-sized pieces
4 slices cooked ham
4 leeks, chopped
110g onion, chopped
salt and black pepper, to taste
ground mace or freshly-grated nutmeg, to taste
300ml chicken stock
1 tbsp milk
60ml double cream
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 egg yolk

Method:

Combine the leeks and onion in a bowl then alternate layers of chicken, ham, leek and onion in a 1.5l casserole dish, until the dish is full. Season each layer with salt, pepper and nutmeg as you complete them (two layers of each component is good). Pour the chicken stock over the top then moisten the edges of the dish.

Turn the pastry onto a lightly-floured surface then roll the pastry out until large enough to cover the top of the dish. Crimp the edges down with a fork to seal then trim the excess pastry from the dish's edges.

Cut a small round hole in the centre of the pastry and use the scraps to form a lattice which you should use to lightly cover the hole. Brush the top of the pie with milk then place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (if the pastry is cooking too quickly then cover with aluminium foil as the pie continues to bake).

When the pie is nearly done heat the cream over low heat until warm then take off the heat and whisk in the egg yolk and mustard powder. Take the pie from the oven, remove the design covering the hole and pour the cream into the pie. Replace the design and allow the pie to stand for a few minutes before serving.