Jazz up the braise by serving under a flaky pie crust.

Ingredients

• 1x quantity of chicken, leek and tarragon braise (see recipe on our website)
• 3-4 sheets frozen pre-rolled flaky puff pastry, defrosted
• beaten egg or milk to glaze

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC. Place the oven rack just above the centre.
2. Pull the chicken meat from the bones, discarding the skin and bones. Return the meat to the sauce and mix well. Divide the mixture evenly among 6-8 small pie-style dishes or one large 6-8 cup capacity pie dish.
3. Place the pastry sheets on a lightly floured board. Cut out pieces large enough to cover the top of the individual pies, without any overhang. If required to re-roll the pastry, place the scaps on top of each other and roll out - do not knead as the layers win the puff pastry will not cook or be able to rise and the result will be a heavy and doughy pastry top.
4. If making one large pie, place 2 sheets of pastry on top of each other and roll out large enough to cover the pie.
5. Brush with beaten egg or milk to glaze. Cut a cross in the centre to allow the steam to escape.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is well browned and golden and the filling is piping hot. Allow an extra 10 minutes' cooking time for a larger pie.

Cooks Tips

- Leeks are great at harbouring dirt in amongst the tightly formed layers. Always wash them well to remove any grit. Never through the tops away; they can be used for adding flour to stocks or soups.