Method

Pre heat the oven to 220°C. Grease a baking tray and roll the pastry on to the tray. Bake the pastry for about 15 – 20 minutes until golden and crispy.

For the filling: Break up the chicken and separate out all the pieces of meat you would like to see in your pie. If you like chicken skin, choose some good bits and cut that up smallish and add it to the chicken you are separating for your pie.

Heat oil in a pan on high heat. Add the mushrooms and spices and fry until the mushrooms have reduced in size by at least half (approximately 5 to 10 minutes). If the mushrooms stick or dry out, add a dash of water to the pan. Add the soy sauce and fry for a further minute. Remove from the heat and add the butter and flour. Stir until the butter has melted and mushrooms are coated with flour. Return to the heat and fry this for an extra minute or so. Remove from the heat again and add the milk. Stir until the milk and flour have combined before returning the pan to the heat. Stir gently until the sauce has thickened. It should be quite thick. If it is too thick, add a little extra milk.

Add the chicken, stir lightly to combine and spread it over the baked pastry. Garnish liberally with fresh herbs – basil, thyme or parsley will work well – and serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of Thekla Salmon from Domestic Goddesses.