christmas chicken and vegetable pie!

Today I made a chicken and vegetable pie as I thought I would make something savoury for once!  It is quite a challenge but it is definitely worth the wait!

Ingredients:

for the rich shortcrust:                                           

275g plain flour                                                                                                                   

pinch of salt

1 medium egg

1tsp lemon juice

2-4 tbsp cold water

135g butter(dairy free)

for the filling:

1 onion

40g butter (dairy free)

40g plain flour

400ml milk(dairy free)

1 chicken stock cube

nutmeg(a pinch)

mustard powder(a pinch)

250g cooked chicken(cooked separately)

200g mix of sweetcorn,peas and carrots

1 egg or milk to glaze

method:

1. Put the flour and salt into the bowl and mix them together.Lightly beat the egg with the lemon juice and 2 tbsp in a measuring jug with a fork,  set aside.

1. Add the butter to the flour rub the butter into the using your fingerprints.keep going until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
2. make a well in the center of the mixture and pour the egg mixture into that well.Combine the mixtures by using your hands.If it should feel dry add some water!
3. When the dough is quite sticky form into a ball, kneed it lightly don’t overwork the mixture. a tip to check if it is a good dough take a piece of the dough and start to roll it out and if it cracks then kneed it again.
4. Wrap the dough in some  cling film and place for about 30 minutes!
5. While that is in the fridge you can start on the filling; heat oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6.
6. Peel an onion as finely as possibly.Melt the butter and cook the onion for about 5 minutes,stir occasionally.
7. When the onion is cooked add the flour to make a paste called roux.Crumble the stock cube in as well. Continuously stir to prevent the starchy taste.
8. Slowly add the milk and keep stirring,then add the salt , nutmeg and mustard powder and bring to the boil and keep stirring all the time to stop the sauce becoming lumpy.
9. When the paste has thickened place on a very heat add the cooked chicken and add the vegetables to mixture and cook for a couple of minutes then pour into pie dish.
10. Put the pastry on a surface and roll out to the size of the top of the pie dish and then place on top of the pie dish,brush some milk or egg on the top of the pie!
11. Cook the pie for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.