Family chicken, bacon and leek pie

The perfect centrepiece for your dinner table, this pie tastes as good as it looks.
Preparation Time 30 - 210 minutes
Cooking Time 50 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
* 1 tbs olive oil
* 4 (about 850g) chicken breast fillets, cut into 4cm pieces
* 250g bacon rashers, rind removed, coarsely chopped
* 1 leek, ends trimmed, cut into 1cm-thick slices
* 2 garlic cloves, crushed
* 50g (1/3 cup) plain flour
* 500ml (2 cups) salt-reduced chicken stock
* 4 large sprigs fresh thyme
* 2 tbs chopped fresh continental parsley
* 1 x 375g block puff pastry, thawed
* 1 egg, lightly whisked


Method
1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining oil and chicken, reheating pan between batches.
2. Add the bacon, leek and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the leek softens and the bacon is slightly golden. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in the stock until well combined. Add the chicken and thyme to the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until the mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Taste and season with pepper. Set aside for 1 hour to cool slightly. Stir in the parsley. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to cool completely.
3. Preheat oven to 220°C. Roll out the pastry until 2cm wider than the top of a round 23cm (base measurement) pie dish. Place the pie dish, top-side down, on the pastry, and use it as a guide to cut a 1cm-wide strip from the edge of the pastry. Reserve the pastry strip.
4. Spoon the chicken mixture into the pie dish. Place a pie funnel in the centre of the dish. Brush the edge of the dish with a little egg. Use the pastry strip to line the edge of the dish. Brush with a little of the remaining egg. Cut a cross into the centre of the pastry disc for the pie funnel.
5. Place the pastry disc on top of the dish. Press the edges to seal. Use a knife to create ridges around the edge of the pastry at 1cm intervals. Brush the top of the pastry with remaining egg. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Notes & tips
* Freezing tip: At the end of step 5, set aside to cool slightly. Cover the pie dish with 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of foil. Label, date and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. To reheat, preheat oven to 180°C. Place the pie on a baking tray and cover loosely with foil. Bake until heated through.
* Pie basic: Follow these top tips to make crisp and golden pies every time.
* Don't allow bought frozen pastry to thaw completely - when it's just thawed, work quickly or you may stretch the pastry. This makes the pastry too thin and prevents it from puffing up into even layers.
* Cool the pie filling before placing it in a pastry case or pie dish before baking. If the filling is warm or hot, it will begin to heat the pastry, making it soggy and greasy.
* Preheat the oven to the right temperature before you begin baking. To rise properly without going soggy, the pastry needs instant heat.
* Cut a cross in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape. If you don't, the steam will become trapped and make the filling too moist, which prevents the pastry from becoming crisp. For larger pies use a pie funnel to help the steam escape easily. If you don't have one, cut a larger cross (about 4cm wide).
* Insert a metal skewer or the tip of a knife into the centre of the pie to test that it's cooked through. If the tip of the skewer is cold to touch, your pie needs to cook for a little longer.

Source
Australian Good Taste - Page 111
Recipe by Michelle Southan