Cornish Pie

By LRay

Cabrini's Celtic Kitchen 2015. Cornwall recipe.

This is a traditional classic pie made with chicken, parsley, butter, leeks and cream baked in a rich shortcrust pastry shell.

Ingredients

• 2 chickens (about 3 pounds each), washed, dried and jointed
• seasoned flour, for dusting
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 ounces butter
• 4 ounces parsley (with roots and stems), finely chopped
• 1 leek, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2/3 cup light cream
• 1 1/3 cup heavy cream
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, to glaze
• Purchase or make enough rich, shortcrust pastry (made without the sugar) to cover a large, deep pie dish

Preparation

Step 1

Melt half the butter in a frying pan, add the onion and fry until golden brown (about eight minutes). Remove the onion with slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Add the remaining butter in a pan then roll the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour. When the butter is hot, add the floured chicken pieces (you may need to do this in batches) and fry until golden brown in colour. Arrange the onion in the base of your pie dish then sit the chicken pieces on top, arranging them in a single, closely packed layer. Combine the parsley, leek, milk and light cream in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for two or three minutes, then take off the heat. Pour this mixture over the chicken pieces then add about 5 ounces of the heavy cream. Season liberally with the salt and black pepper. Turn the pastry onto a floured work surface and roll out until large enough to cover the top of the pie. Crimp this to the edges of the pie dish. Trim off the excess pastry. Cut a cross in the centre of the pie ten peel back the four pastry points to make a hole large enough for a small kitchen funnel to fit. Glaze the top with the egg and milk mixture then transfer the pie to an over preheated to 410 degrees F and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue cooking for about 60 minutes, or until the chicken is completely done through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. As the pie is cooling bring the remaining cream to a boil. Just before serving, carefully sit a funnel in the hole and pour in the boiling cream. Remove the funnel and allow the pie to cool (the juices will set to a jelly).