Stranger Foods

BritishChicken & ham pie

Serves 6 | Prep 25 mins | Cook 45 mins

When you need something warm and comforting after a long day, there’s nothing like a proper British pie.

Ingredients

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Put the chicken in a large pan with the carrots, potatoes, celery, half the thyme and seasoning. Add stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook gently for . Set a colander over a large bowl, pour in the pan contents and remove thyme. Reserve 600 ml/1 pint stock (rest can be frozen).
Rinse the pan, return to heat and melt the butter. Cook the onions until soft, about . Stir in the flour, then the reserved stock a little at a time, to make a smooth thick sauce. Add the milk and simmer for . Off the heat, stir in the remaining thyme, lemon juice and parsley. Season.
Mix together the chicken, vegetables and ham in a deep 2.2 litre/4 pint ovenproof dish, preferably with a rim or lip. Pour over the sauce and leave to cool slightly. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 6.
Roll out the pastry to about 5cm/2in larger than the top of the dish. Cut a 2½ cm/1 in strip from all round the pastry. Brush the rim of the dish with egg and press the strip all round. Brush with egg and lift the pastry on to it, pressing the edges to seal thoroughly. Trim off excess, then mark the pastry edge all round with a fork. Make 4 small slits in the centre. Brush with egg and bake for 25 - until crisp and golden.