Chicken party pies

Serves:

Ingredients

• 4 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 small leeks, trimmed, sliced
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1 cup (250mL) chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons cream (optional)
• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
• Salt & freshly ground pepper (optional)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in the flour, then gradually add the stock and cream, stirring until the mixture thickens. Add the chicken, bring to the boil and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper (if using). Cool slightly while cutting out the pastry.

Select a 24-hole cupcake pan or 2 x 12-hole cupcake pans. Use a scone cutter slightly larger than the diameter of the hole and cut 24 pastry bases. Push carefully into the holes, no need to grease the tins, plenty of butter in the pastry.

Fill the pastry bases with about 1 tablespoon of the chicken mixture; the filling should be at the top of the pastry base. Use a scone cutter to cut 24 pastry tops just large enough to cover the filling. Press the edges of the pastry down well to seal, prick each pie with a fork to allow steam to escape. Brush the pastry with egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden, then serve.

Notes:

• Allow the pies to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving to small kids as the filling is very hot. Or 30 minutes if you have a temperature-sensitive child like my son!
• This filling is oh-so tasty, leftovers are great pinched straight out of the saucepan, or reheated for lunch the next day.
• Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

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