Hen and leek pie – RecipeTin Eats

Tender bites of rooster and slippery items of candy leek smothered in a creamy white-wine thyme infused sauce, effervescent beneath a golden puff pastry crust. Hen and Leek Pie is consolation meals we dream about!

Hen and Leek Pie

Should you like effervescent pies baked beneath deeply golden flaky, buttery puff pastry, then it is a recipe for you. It’s cosy and comforting, and every thing you dream a pie to be. The filling is smothered in a creamy sauce infused with thyme and refined white wine flavour that’s wealthy however not overly so, and the leeks is what units this pie other than “simply one other rooster pie”.

Not that I’m dissing different rooster pies – there’s room for a lot of on this world. However Hen and Leek Pie is particular due to the leeks and the flavour it brings to the pie. What flavour, you ask? Assume – sweeter, milder model of onion. And since it’s a delicate flavour, we are able to use a very good quantity of leeks on this recipe. Two entire leeks, in precise reality. As a result of if we’re going to place Leek within the recipe title, let’s be sure we are able to truly style the leek!

Exhausting to stuff up!

While you scroll by means of the step pictures and even the components part, it may appear a little bit concerned and fussy due to the quantity of knowledge I’ve included. However I promise it’s not. I’m simply being further beneficiant on the educational visuals entrance to ensure that leek-first-timers and pie-first-timers can method this recipe with confidence!

And truly, it’s laborious to stuff up this recipe. The worst which may occur is that the sauce is a little bit on the skinny aspect since you didn’t simmer it lengthy sufficient otherwise you mis-measured the flour. Hardly a catastrophe as a result of the flavour continues to be in there!

Elements in Hen and Leek Pie

Right here’s what it’s good to make this recipe.

pie filling

No surprises right here. Although bacon might be the one thing you don’t see in typical recipes. We solely use 3 little strips nevertheless it goes an extended strategy to make the filling further delicious. 🙂

• Leeks! The hero ingredient. The tastier onion! It brings a lot flavour into this pie, not simply the leek bits themselves but additionally flavouring the sauce.

  Having mentioned that although, when leeks are out of season / extortionately costly, you can also make this pie with 2 large common onions. We’d need to drop the phrase “Leek” out of the title, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a darn scrumptious pie!

• Boneless rooster thighs – I want to make use of boneless, skinless rooster thighs quite than breast as a result of it stays juicier in pies. You actually can’t keep away from overcooking rooster breast in a pie like this the place it’s cooked twice (within the filling on the range then within the pie within the oven). Should you actually want to make use of breast, it’s greatest to shred it. See FAQ and instructions within the recipe card notes.

• Bacon – As famous above, provides an additional something-something into this pie! Make sure you use streaky bacon (ie the bacon bits streaked with fats) because the recipe depends on the fats to sauté the leek. Should you use lean bacon, you’ll most likely want an additional dab of butter.

• Celery – I just like the flavour celery brings into this pie and likewise that it blends into the filling as a result of I intentionally make the filling for this pie with none shiny splashes of color from peas or carrots. Makes it totally different from different pies, like Hen Pot Pie!

• Garlic – Uncommon to see a savoury recipe with out it on my web site, and this pie isn’t any exception!

• Thyme and bay leaves – Use recent in case you can, although dried is ok as a substitute. Word: in case you use dried thyme quite than recent sprigs, you’ll get little darkish specks in your sauce. Additionally, recent thyme sprigs form of “perfumes” the sauce in a means that dried leaves don’t. Sort of like utilizing cinnamon sticks quite than powder in, say, curries, tagines, pilafs and so on.

creamy sauce for the pie

Right here’s what it’s good to make the creamy sauce for the pie.

• Butter – The fats of selection for this dish! Unsalted butter is most popular. If utilizing salted butter, begin with much less salt than per the recipe components, then alter on the finish.

• Hen inventory/broth and cream – These are the liquids that we use to make this sauce. Hen inventory has extra flavour than utilizing simply water. And cream is richer and has a extra luscious mouth really feel than utilizing milk, although you might substitute with milk in case you don’t have cream (I’d add a dab of additional butter), or in case you actually wish to scale back the energy on this recipe.

• Flour – That is what thickens the sauce. Simply use plain / all-purpose flour. Although truly, self elevating and wholemeal flour will work high-quality too.

• White wine – I nearly at all times deglaze my pan utilizing wine for sauces. Deglazing merely means utilizing a liquid to a dissolve gold bits caught on the bottom of the pan from sautéing issues (rooster, leek and so on, on this case) into the liquid as a result of it’s free flavour. You could possibly use water or inventory, however wine provides extra flavour as a result of it has extra complexity and depth. We prepare dinner out the alcohol so it doesn’t style winey in any respect.

  Sort of wine – Chardonnay is my default white wine as of late, for the perfect flavour and greatest all-rounder for cooking. However any dry white wine will work high-quality right here. Simply keep away from something too candy or too woody.

  Substitute with non alcoholic white wine or extra rooster inventory/broth. Don’t fear, the sauce will nonetheless be scrumptious!

• Dijon mustard – This provides flavour into the sauce however just isn’t a dominant flavour so you’ll be able to skip it if in case you have an aversion to mustard. You could possibly additionally substitute with wholegrain mustard (additionally pretty!).

puff pastry

• Puff pastry – Right here in Australia, commonplace grocery-store puff pastry is available in 20cm/8″ sheets that are only a contact too small for many baking dishes and huge pie dishes. So I simply join two sheets utilizing egg whites (the yolks is used to brush the pastry to make it golden within the oven).

  Should you get a big sheet of puff pastry (eg Careme which is a premium model), you gained’t have to do the sealing.

  Butter puff beneficial! Butter puff pastry is made with butter whereas simply common puff pastry is made with oil. Butter puff is tastier! It additionally puffs up higher and bakes extra golden. The packet shall be labelled as “Butter Puff Pastry” and prices a little bit greater than non-butter puff pastry. Value it, in my view.

• Egg – As famous above, we use the egg white to attach the puff pastry sheets, and the egg yolk to brush the lid of the pie so it bakes an attractive golden brown. You’ll have a little bit egg white left over – toss it into your morning scrambled eggs or omelette!

How one can make Hen and Leek Pie

I’m offering a good few step pictures to make this a simple recipe even for folks new to cooking with leek and making creamy pie fillings. However I promise it’s fairly simple!

1. How I reduce the leek

I want reducing the leek into small bit dimension squares quite than slicing rings which I discover feels a little bit too stringy “spaghetti-like” for the quantity of leek used on this pie. Bigger items additionally means you chew into extra leek flavour which appears acceptable for a Hen and Leek Pie! 😇

1. Trim off the basis and the darkish inexperienced a part of the leek. This half is reedy and never nice to eat. Discard or clear then add to your do-it-yourself vegetable inventory.

2. Minimize the leek in half by means of the center. Simply to make it shorter which is less complicated to chop in half lengthways (subsequent step).

3. Minimize the leek in half lengthways.

4. Separate the outer 5 layers or so from the core. If at this stage you discover dust between the layers, give it a wash however attempt to preserve the layers intact to make your cutting-life less complicated / environment friendly.

5. Minimize outer layers into squares – Minimize the outer layers in half lengthways once more, stack, then reduce into 1.8 cm/0.75″ items to make sq. / rectangle items.

6. Inside core – Minimize into 2cm / 0.8″ items.

Leek, reduce! Cooking time.

2. How one can make the filling

The filling for the pie is a roux-based creamy filling (ie a flour-thickened filling). I’ve used cream to make it further luxurious and pie-worthy however you’ll be able to substitute with milk to chop down on the energy.

1. Seal rooster – Soften half the butter in a big non-stick pan over excessive warmth. Then prepare dinner the rooster simply till the floor modifications from pink to white. We’re not attempting to brown the rooster right here (it gained’t, the pan is simply too full), nor prepare dinner it by means of as a result of the rooster will prepare dinner additional within the sauce and within the oven. Simply seal the floor.

   Then take away the rooster utilizing a slotted spoon right into a bowl. Go away the juices and residual butter within the pan, we are going to use it to prepare dinner the filling.

2. Bacon – For the filling, begin by cooking the bacon in the identical pan for 1 minute. By giving it a head begin, we get the tasty bacon fats melting within the pan which we use to prepare dinner every thing else.

3. Sauté – Then add the leek, celery and garlic and prepare dinner for five minutes or till the celery and leek are softened. Don’t allow them to brown, so decrease the warmth if wanted.

4. Deglaze the pan utilizing the white wine. By this, I imply add the wine into the pan and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan so something caught to it dissolves into the wine. Then let the wine simmer quickly till the wine is generally evaporated (which is the alcohol cooking out, abandoning simply tasty flavour).

5. Roux – Add the remaining butter and stir it in till melted*. Then scatter the flour throughout the floor of the pan quite than dumping it in a single place (makes it simpler to combine in). Stir for 30 seconds to prepare dinner off the flour. The pasty flour combination caught on the leek known as a “roux” and that is what thickens our pie filling to make it fantastically creamy.

6. Creamy sauce – Whereas stirring, slowly pour the rooster inventory / broth into the pan. Then preserve mixing to dissolve the roux into the liquid so the combination within the pan thickens right into a thick creamy sauce. Don’t fear if there are nonetheless roux-lumps, they are going to proceed dissolving as we simmer the sauce.

* See FAQ for why I do that butter melting step simply earlier than including the flour to make the roux for this recipe.

7. End sauce – Then add the cream, mustard, salt and pepper, bayleaves and thyme, and stir it in. Return the rooster into the pan together with all of the juices that collected within the bowl (free flavour!).

8. Simmer the sauce for 3 to five minutes till it has thickened into fairly a thick creamy texture.

   Aim sauce thickness – The sauce thickness at this stage is just about what it it is going to be when the pie comes out of the oven, so make it the thickness you need.

   Cool – Take away the pan from the range and let the filling cool for an hour. It must be cool else the warmth will soften the butter within the puff pastry on contact and gained’t puff up as a lot within the oven. Shortcut: unfold the filling on a tray (half-hour ought to do it). It’s also possible to preserve the filling for 3 – 4 days within the fridge and end the pie on one other day.

Filling performed. Let’s assemble!

3. Assembling the pie

You possibly can bake this pie in a single massive dish (any form – rectangle, spherical, oval) or ramekins. I exploit a 1.5 litre / 1.5 quart baking dish which is the fitting dimension for the quantity of filling this recipe makes.

TIP: Use semi-thawed quite than fully-thawed puff pastry. It’s a lot simpler to deal with. Absolutely thawed puff can get sloppy and sticky!

1. Join puff pastry – If wanted. Customary frozen puff pastry in Australia are 20cm / 8″ squares which is a little bit brief for many casserole pans and pie dishes appropriate for baking rooster and leek pie in.

   To attach the sheets, brush the sting of a semi-thawed sheet with egg white, join the 2 sheets then use the again of a spoon to “smear” the seam collectively.

2. Minimize the pie lid from the puff pastry. Use your chosen pie baking vessel because the define.

3. Strips (non-compulsory) – You possibly can solely do that if the rim of your pie dish is broad sufficient, to make use of up leftover puff pastry to make a formidable further thick pie edge! Simply reduce 4 strips from the remaining puff pastry, broad sufficient to sit down on the rim of your dish.

4. Line the rim of the pie dish with these strips. Simply place them on, no have to brush with egg (it adheres too strongly, nightmare to serve. Been there, performed that!).

5. Fill the pie pan or baking dish with the cooled filling.

6. Lid – Brush the pastry strips with egg white then place the lid on. Press to seal the sides.

   Word: In case you are not utilizing pastry strips alongside the rim, don’t brush the rim with egg whites because the lid will adhere too strongly to the baking dish.

7. Brush the lid with egg yolk, reduce a cross within the center.

8. Bake for 45 minutes till it’s deep golden all throughout the floor of the pie. Pull it out then yay! Time to eat!

Good one to make forward

Pies like this are glorious for making forward. You can also make the filling and refrigerate it for 3 – 4 days, then assemble the pie while you’re prepared.

Or you’ll be able to assemble the pie with the puff pastry then refrigerate for 3 days or freeze for as much as 3 months, although be conscious that it’s going to take as much as 48 hours to completely thaw within the fridge (it’s a formidable block of ice!). The puff pastry will puff rather less than assembling and baking it right away, nevertheless it’s a really small compromise for the comfort (puff pastry puffs the perfect with minimal dealing with, when thawed as soon as, assembled then baked right away. The extra occasions you thaw > freeze > thaw and so on, or refrigerate, the much less it puffs).

Put it this manner. If I had been to make this pie for firm, I’d make the filling the day earlier than and assemble and bake on the day of. For every other goal, I wouldn’t hesitate to assemble forward, puff pastry and all, then bake on demand.

Hope you take pleasure in! – Nagi x

Watch find out how to make it

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Hen and Leek Pie

Writer: Nagi

Prep: 25 minutes minutes

Cook dinner: 1 hour hr

Cool filling: 1 hour hr

Whole: 2 hours hrs 25 minutes minutes

Mains

Western

Servings5

Faucet or hover to scale

Recipe video above. Tender bites of rooster and slippery items of candy leek smothered in a creamy white-wine thyme infused sauce, effervescent beneath a golden puff pastry crust. Hen and Leek Pie is consolation meals we dream about!I reduce my leeks in a particular means. I like bigger items quite than thinly sliced rings which get too soggy-stringy for my style. Additionally, in case you do not like / cannot get puff pastry, cowl this pie in mash (like Cottage Pie!) or use a do-it-yourself shortcrust pastry.Make one large pie like I’ve performed, or ramekins (makes 4 massive, 5 common). For a pie with a base, substitute the filling in my Household Meat Pie or particular person meat pies.

Directions

ABBREVIATED:

• Sear floor of rooster in half butter, take away. Cook dinner bacon 1 minute, then leek, celery and garlic 5 minutes. Deglaze with wine, soften remaining butter, then prepare dinner flour 1 minute. Add inventory, then remaining Filling components. Add rooster, thicken sauce (~5 minutes).

• Cool filling 1 hour, assemble pie (join puff sheets with egg whites), brush lid with yolk, bake 45 minutes 200°C/375°F (180°C fan).

Minimize leek (step pictures above useful):

• Trim the reedy darkish inexperienced ends and root off, then reduce in half. Minimize each bit in half lengthways. Take away the outer 5 to six layers (preserve them collectively), lay them flat, reduce in half lengthways then into 1.8cm / 3/4″ squares. Minimize the inside core into 2cm / 0.8″ items.

Filling:

• Hen – Soften half the butter in a big pan over excessive warmth. Add the rooster, salt and pepper. Cook dinner till the floor modifications from pink to white (inside nonetheless uncooked), then take away right into a bowl utilizing a slotted spoon. Go away residual butter and rooster juices within the pan.

• Sauté – In the identical pan, prepare dinner the bacon for 1 minute. Add the leek, celery and garlic. Cook dinner for five minutes till the celery is softened. Do not let the leek brown – decrease the warmth if wanted.

• Deglaze – Add the wine and simmer quickly on excessive warmth, stirring, till it’s principally evaporated.

• Roux – Decrease the warmth to medium. Add the remaining butter. As soon as it melts, sprinkle the flour throughout the floor (do not dump in a single place) and stir for 1 minute.

• Creamy sauce – Whereas stirring, slowly pour the inventory in. The combination will thicken right into a thick sauce as soon as mixed. Then add the mustard, cream, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Stir to mix, then add the rooster together with all of the juices amassed within the bowl.

• Simmer – Improve the warmth, stir to mix. As soon as it involves a simmer, scale back the warmth to medium excessive. Simmer for five minutes, stirring usually, or till the sauce is kind of a thick creamy consistency. (Word 7 on aim thickness).

• Cool – Take away the pan from the range and funky for 1 hour. (It’s also possible to retailer in fridge for 3 – 4 days).

Assembling and baking:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/375°F (180°C fan-forced).

• Join puff pastry sheets – Semi-thaw the puff pastry (Word 6). Brush sheet one edge with egg white, then overlap 0.5cm / 0.2″ with the opposite sheet to attach them. Use the again of a spoon to “smear” the pastry to cover the seam and firmly join.

• Minimize out the pie lid (I exploit the dish as a reducing information).

• Non-compulsory strips (Word 8): reduce strips utilizing the residual pastry to line the rim of the dish (in case your dish has a thick rim, like mine) and place on the rim of the dish.

• Fill the pie dish with the cooled filling and easy the floor. Brush the pastry strips on the rim with egg white (if not utilizing strips, do not do that step) then cowl with the puff pastry lid.

• Brush the lid with egg yolk. Minimize a small X within the center.

• Bake 45 minutes or till the floor is a deep golden brown. Relaxation 5 minutes then serve!

Recipe Notes:

1. Hen – Thighs are greatest as they continue to be juicy after the double-cook time for pie.
For rooster breast, it’s higher to shred as you’ll be able to’t keep away from overcooking it on this recipe as written and no one needs dry, miserably chunks of rooster of their pie! Break up in half horizontally to type 2 skinny steaks. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, sear within the butter being cautious to not overcook (even beneath cooked is ok). Cool barely, shred. Proceed with recipe however solely stir the shredded rooster in on the very finish as soon as sauce is simmered and thickened.
2. Bacon – Use bacon streaked with fats as we want the fats for sautéing. If utilizing lean bacon, add an additional dab of butter.
3. Leek – Leek brings a particular flavour into this pie (and it’s the namesake!) however you’ll be able to completely make this utilizing onions as an alternative. Use 2 massive onions (common brown / yellow ones, or white onions).
4. Wine – Substitute with non alcoholic white wine, or rooster inventory/broth.
5. Mustard – Brings a touch of flavour into the sauce however it may be omitted or substituted with wholegrain mustard (ie seeded).
6. Puff pastry suggestions:

• Customary grocery retailer puff pastry in Australia is available in 20cm/8″ squares so we have to join 2 items so it’s massive sufficient to cowl the baking dish. Should you get a premium model like Careme which is bigger sheets, you gained’t want to do that.
• BUTTER puff pastry (labelled as such on the packet) is tastier and puffs higher. It’s a little bit pricier than non-butter puff.
• Semi-thawed puff pastry is less complicated to deal with than full thawed, and puffs higher as a result of it gained’t by accident stretch when dealt with. I let it thaw simply sufficient so I can reduce it.

7. Sauce thickness – Make it the thickness you need within the pie when it comes out of the oven because it is not going to thicken any additional within the oven. I like mine oozy-thick.
8. Strips – This provides the pie an additional thick flaky edge! However you’ll be able to solely do it in case your baking dish has a rim like mine.
Leftovers will preserve for 3 – 4 days within the fridge however the lid will go mushy. To resurrect, reheat in lid within the oven on a tray and the filling within the microwave.
Make forward – Assemble pie per recipe and refrigerate in a single day or freeze (be aware it can take 48 hours to thaw within the fridge). Filling may also be made forward 3 – 4 days. Word: Puff pastry puffs greatest when cooked instantly upon thawing, however nonetheless puffs fairly effectively if thawed > frozen > thawed once more and baked. 
Diet per serving assuming 5 servings.

Diet Info:

Energy: 662cal (33%)Carbohydrates: 29g (10%)Protein: 35g (70%)Fats: 47g (72%)Saturated Fats: 26g (163%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 4gMonounsaturated Fats: 12gTrans Fats: 0.4gLdl cholesterol: 248mg (83%)Sodium: 888mg (39%)Potassium: 575mg (16%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 1726IU (35%)Vitamin C: 6mg (7%)Calcium: 95mg (10%)Iron: 4mg (22%)

Key phrases: rooster and leek pie

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