
A comforting, seasonal pie featuring tender chicken thighs and sweet leeks in a creamy sauce, elevated by the vibrant flavor of fresh wild garlic. Encased in a buttery, homemade shortcrust pastry, it's the ultimate celebration of spring flavors.
Prepare the wild garlic: Heat 25g of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once sizzling, add the wild garlic leaves and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the leaves are completely wilted and soft. Remove from the pan, let cool, then roughly chop and set aside.
Make the filling: Melt the remaining 50g of butter in the same pan. Add the sliced leeks and chicken chunks, seasoning lightly. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the chicken is browned and the leeks have softened. Stir in 3 tbsp of flour and cook for 3 minutes to create a sandy paste. Pour in the wine, let it bubble for 2 minutes to reduce, then stir in the chicken stock and crème fraîche. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the chopped wild garlic (and finely sliced stalks if using), then remove from heat. Transfer to a container and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Prepare the pastry: In a large bowl, rub 150g of cold cubed butter into 400g of flour with a pinch of salt using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add half of the beaten egg and 3 tbsp of ice-cold water. Bring the dough together with your hands, adding more water 1 tbsp at a time if needed, until soft. Knead briefly for 1 minute, wrap in plastic, and chill for 1 hour.
Assemble the pie: Butter a 23cm pie tin. Roll out two-thirds of the room-temperature pastry on a floured surface to the thickness of a coin. Line the tin, leaving some overhang. Fill with the chilled chicken mixture. Roll out the remaining pastry into a 25cm circle. Brush the edges of the bottom pastry with some beaten egg, place the lid on top, and trim the excess. Crimp the edges to seal and decorate with any trimmings. Chill until ready to bake.
Bake the pie: Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan/gas 7) with a baking sheet inside. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg and score a light criss-cross pattern with a knife. Place the pie on the hot baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Brush with the remaining egg, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake for another 15-20 minutes until deep golden. Let rest for 10 minutes before removing from the tin and serving in wedges.
For the best results, ensure your filling is completely cold before adding it to the pastry to prevent a soggy bottom. If you don't have time to make pastry, a 500g block of store-bought shortcrust pastry works perfectly as a shortcut.




