For the love of pie

I have started a new chapter in my life, and it involves food. Cooking food, and eating it of course. For those of you that are now worried, I promise not to balloon up, after all I have a wedding dress to fit into.

So with my new found love of cooking I decided to try a new recipe last night, with gleaming success. It is an absolute crowd pleaser and is really simple to prepare.

-Chicken, Leek and Potato Pie-

Serves 4 and then some.

• Chicken- either 4 whole chicken legs or 4 chicken breasts.(Better yet use leftovers from a whole chicken roast)
• Salt and black pepper
• Olive oil
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 onion diced finely
• 2 leeks- only use the white and pale green parts of the leek. Cut in half lengthwise and then into strips
• 2 potatoes cut into squares
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 sheet frozen pastry-thawed
• 1 large egg
• fresh parsley (dried works too)
• Thyme
• Basil

Now for the fun part...

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Place chicken legs on a baking tray with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 15 mins, turn, roast for another 15 mins.
2. Set chicken aside to cool and lower the oven to 350 F.
3. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat with a fork.
4. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add leaks and onions. Saute until tender.
5. Add the potatoes.
6. Add flour to pan, stirring constantly for about a minute.
7. Slowly stir in chicken stock, milk, and cream.
8. Simmer over low heat until sauce thickens.
9. Stir in the chicken. (if you think you have too much chicken save the rest for my yummy chicken salad recipe)
10. Add parsley, thyme, and Basil. Season with salt and pepper. Let simmer for a few minutes. If sauce appears too thick, add some more milk.
11. Spoon the pie filling into an oven-proof baking dish, roll out the puff pastry and drape over the top. Press against the rim of the dish.
12. Mix the egg with a tablespoon of milk. Cut holes into the pastry to allow for steam to escape, and brush with the egg mixture.
13. Bake for 50 minutes, check the pastry every now and then. If it is turning brown turn the oven down too 300 F.
14. Take out and enjoy with good company.

So there you have it, the most heavenly pie on earth. I just ate the leftovers and I can say it oven reheats very very well.