Chicken, Leek, Ham & Spinach Easter Dome Pie!
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott/Not Quite Nigella
Preparation time: 30 minutes plus 20 minutes resting time
Cooking time: 30 minutes
- 2 sheets of puff pastry, thawed
- 4 tablespoons oil for frying
- 2 leeks, white part only, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 bunch English spinach, leaves only, finely chopped
- 125g/4ozs cream cheese
- 200g/7ozs. feta (I used Danish feta), chopped into small pieces
- 300g/10.6ozs. cooked chicken breast, chopped
- 300g/10.6ozs. ham, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- Black pepper
- 1 egg yolk
Step 1 - Oil a metal or enamel bowl about 6-7 cups in capacity. Line it with one sheet of pastry. Place the pastry lined bowl and the other sheet of pastry in the fridge until needed.
Step 2 - Fry the leeks on medium heat in a large saucepan until soft and fragrant - about 3-4 minutes. Then add the garlic and fry for another minute. Add the English spinach and wilt and add the cream cheese and feta. Remove from heat when the spinach has wilted and the cheeses have melted. Cool for 10 minutes or so. Then add the chicken, ham and nutmeg and season with black pepper. It shouldn't need salt because the feta is salty but add it if it needs it. Cool.
Step 3 - When completely cool, spoon into the pastry lined bowl. Fold over any corners and then add the other sheet of puff pastry on top. Using a pizza cutter, cut off the edges. Place the bowl in the freezer to chill for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile place the scraps of pastry in the fridge to firm up.
Step 4 - Preheat oven to 210C/410F and line a baking tray with parchment. After 20 minutes, remove it from the freezer and upturn the pie to place it on a parchment lined baking tray. Brush with the egg yolk. I made some extra decorations with the pastry-they aren't really necessary but I just thought I'd do it since I had extra pastry. Bake for 30 minutes until pastry is evenly golden.