Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Leeks and Chicken pie

Do you love leeks like I do? They look like fat spring onions, from which family they belong, together with garlic. I like the subtle onion taste of it without being too onion-y. The only set back for me is, they are only available in autumn. Well, at least in Finland. Of course I can find them frozen in the groceries all year. But its just not the same!
Here is my own Leeks and Chicken pie recipe. I hope you try it...


First, make the pastry. Mix together: 375 gms of flour, ½ tsp of salt and ½ tbsp. sugar. To this, you pinch in 250 gms. of cold, cubed butter, until it looks like small pebbles. Add 100 ml (or less) of cold milk. Incorporate until it forms a ball. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate.

* In a hot pan, medium heat, pour in 2 tbsp. olive oil, saute 1 tbsp. of chopped garlic and about 4 handfuls of chopped leeks. Give it at least 5 mins. or until the leeks have become a bit limp.
* Add 1 tsp. salt and about 800 gms. of cubed, raw chicken meat. (I used the boneless chicken legs) Saute this for at least 10 mins or until the chicken is cooked and the juices has dried out.
* While you wait on that, prepare the butter-flour mixture. You need 100 gms of very soft butter and 100 gms of flour. Mix these together to form a paste. Set aside.
* Back to your chicken; The bottom of your pan must have crusted by now. Pour in about 1/4 cup of white wine to the mixture plus 1 and ½ cups of chicken broth.
(If you are not using wine, just use 2 cups of hot chicken broth or hot water)
* Add 50 gms of cubed potatoes, 100 gms of green peas and 100 gms of cubed carrots and let the liquid boil.
* Add black pepper and adjust taste.
* Add the butter-flour mixture until the liquid thickens, then turn the heat off. Set aside.
* Turn on your oven to 200 degs. C.
* Roll out your dough thin enough for your pie crust, top and bottom. I used 2 pcs. of those deep dishes. 7 in. diameter and 2 inches thick. The dough is just enough. You could of course use a proper pie dish (12 in.) I just like it better when I can make the fillings thick and not get too much pastry from each bite.


* Line the dish with the pie dough and pour in the leek and chicken filling. Cover with the pie dough and seal it by pinching the edges together.

* Brush the top dough with beaten eggs. Bake the pie for 25 mins., middle rack, or until the crust is golden brown.
* Serve hot or cold, with chopped spring onions. Enjoy!




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