Chicken, Cranberry and Blue Cheese Pie

PASTRY TOP

• 500g ready-made butter puff pastry and a little plain flour for rolling
• 1 egg and 1 tablespoon milk, beaten together

FILLING

• 55g butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 55g flour
• 600ml chicken stock
• 115g white Blue Cheese, crumbled
• 100ml single cream
• 55g semi-dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped sage or 2 teaspoons dried sage
• ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 600g cooked chicken meat, shredded

Oven: 200°C / 180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6 pre-heated 

To make the pie filling: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes, until lightly golden. 

Add the flour and cook for a further 1 minute. 

Remove from the heat and stir in a quarter of the chicken stock; stir in the remaining stock. Return to the heat and stir constantly until it simmers and thickens. 

Stir in the Blue Cheese, cream, cranberries, sage and pepper. Once the cheese has melted, add the cooked chicken and adjust the seasoning to taste. 

To make the pie: Dust a work surface and a rolling pin with a little flour and roll out the pastry to approximately 5-7mm thick. Turn the pie dish upside down and use it as a guide to cut an oval 2cm larger than the top. Make a cross cut in the centre for the pie bird to go through. Cut some thin strips from the remaining pastry to use around the rim of the dish. 

Place the cooked filling into the pie dish and position the pie bird in the centre. Brush some of the beaten egg mixture around the edges of the pie dish, then place the pastry strips on top, joining them where necessary. Brush the pastry strips with some more of the beaten egg mixture and place on the pastry top, allowing the pie bird to poke through the cross-cut. Press the pastry down gently around the edges to seal. Brush the top with the remaining beaten egg. 

Cook for 30-35 minutes until puffed up and deep golden brown. 

Cook's notes 

As a guide, a 1¼ -1½ kg chicken will yield approximately 600g of cooked chicken meat. Cut the chicken into quarters, rub the skin with a little butter, and season with salt. Place into a shallow roasting pan, pour over 250ml stock, cover tightly with foil and cook in a pre-heated oven for 50-60 minutes at oven 180°C/160°C fan/Gas Mark 4. The cooking juices can be skimmed of fat and used as part of the stock. If using ready-made stock or a stock from a concentrate, always check before adding salt.