Chicken and Anchovy Pie

Serves: to serve 8

Prep Time: 35 Minutes + waiting

Cook Time: 40 Minutes

Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
+ waiting

Ingredients

2lb 10oz - boneless, free range chicken breasts

1 - lemon

½ teaspoon - dried thyme

1 tablespoon - rapeseed or sunflower oil

2 oz - butter

1 large - leak

8 oz - mushrooms

1 cup - full-fat crème fraîche

  - salt and pepper

2 oz - anchovy fillets in oil

1½ tablespoons - wholegrain mustard

17 oz - ready made puff pastry

1 - egg

Directions

1. Zest the lemon and put aside the zest, then squeeze out the juice. Remove any skin from the chicken breasts (1.2kg is roughly equal to 6 large chicken breasts). Cut each breast into thin strips and place in a dish. Pour over the lemon juice and sprinkle over the zest and thyme. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oil a large non-stick frying pan and fry the chicken strips for about 7-8 minutes (turning often) until they are thoroughly cooked all the way through. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
3. Wash the leek, remove the green leaves and the roots then thinly slice the white leaves. Roughly chop the mushrooms. Melt the butter in the same frying pan that you used for the chicken and add the leeks and mushrooms. Cook gently for 10 minutes or until the leeks are tender. Add the crème fraîche and cook for a further 1 minute. Season with freshly-ground black pepper then transfer to a plate and spread the mixture out to allow it to cool quickly.
4. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Use this to line the bottom and sides of a springform pie dish/cake tin (about 10" - 25cm diameter). Leave about a 1" (2.5cm) overhang of pastry. Drain the anchovies, roughly chop them and place them in a small bowl. Add the mustard and mix well. Season with a little freshly-ground black pepper then spread the anchovy and mustard mixture all over the bottom of the pastry.
5. Spoon half the chicken on top of the anchovy mixture, cover with half the leek and mushroom mixture, then spoon the other half of the chicken on top and finish with a final layer of leek and mushroom.
6. Beat the egg and brush some onto the overhanging pastry. Roll out the remaining one-third pastry and lay it over the top of the pie and bring the overhang of pastry up to meet it. Crimp and fold the edges over to make a good seal then trim off any excess pastry with a knife. Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg and transfer the whole thing onto a baking tray. Chill for an hour or so (or even overnight if you want).
7. Bake the pie in a preheated moderate oven (Mk 4 - 350ºF - 180ºC) for 35-40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the inside is very hot. Slice and serve with fresh steamed vegetables broccoli, peas and carrots.