Chicken Pie

To make the pastry, sift flour, cornflour and custard powder together with the baking powder, rub in softened butter.

Make a well in the centre, add egg yolk and enough water to mix to a firm dough, knead lightly. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the pie filling.

Turn oven on to 190° C/375° F.

To make the chicken pie filling, boil potatoes until just ready, you don’t want them too soft.

Oil large pan with extra virgin olive oil and a dob of butter, gently cook up the onion, carrot and celery until softened.

Add chopped chicken and herbs then the cooked potatoes, corn, shallots and seasoning. Gently mix together.

Add water to the stock and cornflour, mix together then stir into the pie filling, let thicken. Turn off the heat. You also don’t want the pie too soggy, the liquid just binds the ingredients together.

Retrieve pastry from the fridge and cut into two halves. Roll out the first half of pastry onto floured surface. Roll it large enough to cover the greased pie plate with a little over hang around the edge.

Fill the pie with the cooked filling. Brush egg white around the rim of the pastry. Roll out second half of pastry and cover over the pie, press edges together firmly and trim.

Any spare bits of pastry can be rolled out and shaped to decorate your pie. Brush top of pie with egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cut an X in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape while cooking.

Bake in moderately hot oven 25-35 mins until golden brown, serve immediately. Any leftovers are great for a warm lunch the next day.