Chicken and Ham Pie
Ingredients
- For the dough
- 200 grams Pastry flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 70 grams cold butter
- 70 grams Lard
- 1 Tbsp ice cold water
- Pastry flour (for working the dough)
- 1 egg yolk (for brushing)
- For the filling
- 500 grams Chicken breasts
- 300 milliliters Chicken broth
- 200 grams cooked ham
- 1 shallot
- 50 grams butter
- 2 Tbsps Pastry flour
- 150 grams Crème fraiche
- ½ lemon (juiced)
- 1 egg yolk
- Nutmeg
- freshly ground pepper
- salt
- 2 Tbsps finely chopped parsley
- 3 Tbsps grated Cheddar cheese
Preparation steps
For the dough, mix the flour with salt, butter, lard and water. Knead to form a smooth dough. If needed, add another 1-2 tablespoons ice-cold water until the dough holds together. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
For the filling, cut the chicken into small, bite-sized cubes and cook in the boiling chicken stock for 4-5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Set the broth aside.
Peel the shallot and finely chop. Trim the fat from the ham and cut into small cubes. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan. Saute the shallot until translucent, add the ham and fry for about 3 minutes. Set aside. In another pot, heat the remaining butter, then stir in the flour. Stir until the flour has completely absorbed the butter, then gradually pour in the broth while stirring. Allow the sauce to boil briefly, then remove from the heat. Stir in the creme fraiche, lemon juice and egg yolk. Season with pepper, nutmeg and salt, then stir in the cheese.
Stir the chicken and diced ham into the sauce along with the parsley.
Divide the dough in half, shape each into a ball and roll out on a floured work surface. Place 1 sheet of dough in the bottom of the baking dish and distribute the chicken and ham filling on top. Lay the second sheet of dough over the dish and press the edge evenly to the lower dough sheet. In a cup, whisk together the egg yolk and brush the pie with it.
Bake in a preheated convection oven at 180°C (approximately 350°F) for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into slices and serve hot.