A hug in the form of food
Actress Paayal Radhakrishna shares a delicious chicken pie recipe which she calls comfort food.
Ingredients
w 1 tbsp vegetable oil
w 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs
w 8 rashers smoked streaky bacon, cut into large pieces
w 1 onion,sliced
w 250 gm baby button mushrooms
w A handful thyme
w 2 tbsp plain flour
w 400 ml chicken stock
w 200 ml milk
w 500 gm fresh puff pastry, or frozen
w 1 egg beaten
Method
w Heat oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Season chicken to taste and fry for five to eight minutes until golden brown, turning occasionally. Place chicken on a plate. Add bacon and fry for five minutes until crisp.
w Add onion, mushrooms and thyme, then fry on high heat for another three minutes until the onions start to colour. Add flour into the pan and cook, stirring, for one minute. With the pan off, gradually stir or whisk in stock, followed by milk, then add chicken. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Spoon filling into a large pie or baking dish and cool.
w Heat oven. On a floured surface, roll pastry to thickness of two one pound coins. Cut a long strip as wide as the rim of the pie dish and, using a little egg, fix to the edge of the pie dish. Brush with egg, then lift the rest of the pastry over the pie, using the rolling pin. Gently press edges with your fingers and trim with a sharp knife. Brush lightly with egg to glaze, then bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is risen and dark golden brown.
— As told to Ruth Prarthana