Chicken pie

serves 12
ingredients
125ml/4fl oz olive oil
900g/2lb skinless chicken breast
fillets, halved horizontally
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped
fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
flat-leaf parsley
3 large onions, sliced
450g/1lb courgettes, sliced
450g/1lb aubergines, thinly sliced
675g/11⁄2lb puff pastry
3 beefsteak tomatoes, peeled,
quartered and seeded
1 egg, beaten
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
For the sauce
50g/2oz butter
2 teaspoons plain flour
450ml/3⁄4pt double cream
125ml/4fl oz horseradish sauce
125ml/4fl oz white wine
• Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas mark 7. Grease a large baking tray.
• Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan, add half the chicken and
sprinkle with half the garlic and herbs. Season lightly. Sauté the chicken on
both sides to seal and remove with a slotted spoon. Sauté the remaining
chicken, garlic and herbs. Remove from the pan. Add the onions to the pan.
Sauté gently for 5 minutes. Add the courgettes and aubergines, and sauté
for a further 5 minutes, adding more oil if needed. Allow to cool.
• On a floured work surface, roll out a third of the pastry into a 40 x
20cm/16 x 8in rectangle. Place on the baking tray. Lay half the chicken to
within 2.5cm/1in of the pastry edges, cover with half the vegetables, then
arrange half the tomatoes over the top. Repeat the layering to use all the
ingredients. Brush the pastry edges with some of the beaten egg.
• Thinly roll half the remaining pastry to a rectangle. Cut diagonally into strips
and lay over the filling, leaving a gap between the strips. Press the ends to
seal. Brush with beaten egg. Roll out the remaining pastry, cut strips and lay
them over the pie in a lattice pattern. Press the edges of the pastry firmly
together to seal; trim off the excess with a knife. Brush with beaten egg.
• Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4
and bake for a further 40 minutes until risen and golden.
• To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small pan and blend in the flour.
Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and
horseradish. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, until thickened, then add
the wine. Serve hot with the pie.