When I was in Scotland, I had to visit the Queen’s castle there. And at the lovely Balmoral, I discovered this cookbook. It has some fantastic recipes, including mini chicken and leek pot pies. I adapted it to a dairy-free version here. These make great picnic snacks too if there are any leftovers from dinner.
Ingredients
PASTRY:
1/2 cup margarine
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sesame seeds
2 tsp poppy seeds
4 tbsp water
1 egg yolk
FILLING:
1/2 lb chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 large leek
2 tbsp margarine
2 tsp each thyme and oregano
2 eggs
1/4 cup plain soy milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a medium-sized bowl, mix the 1/2 cup margarine, flour, salt, and seeds. Rub it together with your hands until it turns into fine crumbs. In a small bowl, mix the water and egg yolk, then add slowly to the flour mixture while stirring together.
Use your hands to bring the dough together into a ball, but don’t over-knead or it will become tough. Cover the ball in cling wrap and put in the fridge for 20 minutes while you make the filling.
Cut the leek into quarters lengthwise, then slice finely. In a large pan, cook the leeks in the 2 tbsp margarine for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Next, add the herbs and chicken, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink.
In a small bowl, mix 1 egg, plain soy milk, salt and pepper together, then pour this over the chicken and leeks and stir to combine. Put the finished filling in the fridge for 20 minutes (or freezer for 10 minutes) before filling the pies.
Roll the pastry out to about 1/8 thick, then cut out circles using glasses you have on hand – a wider one for the base and a smaller one for the lid. Experiment with one first to see the right size depending on your muffin tin size. Press the larger circles into the muffin tin, making sure to get right into the corners.
Fill each pastry cup to the top with the chicken leek mixture. Rub a bit of water around the edge of the smaller pastry circle, and use it to cover the pastry cup. Pinch the edges together so the filling doesn’t leak out during baking.
Beat the last egg and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and brush it over the tops of the pies.
Bake at 400F for 20 minutes until they’re nice and golden. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. if you have extra filling leftover that didn’t fit in the pies, serve it as a side dish!
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