JAMIE'S TURKEY AND SWEET LEEK PIE

At Christmas time we watch Jamie Oliver's Christmas special. He had so many great recipes and we drooled through the show. Steve tried out this one last night but replaced the turkey with the roast chicken we had made on Saturday. It was too delicious not to share. Leave me a comment if you try it out please... xo


Ingredients


2 rashers smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped

½ bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked

Olive oil

A large knob of butter

2kg leeks, washed, trimmed; white end chopped into chunks, green end finely sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

800g cooked white turkey meat, torn into big chunks (brown too if you want)

2 heaped tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting

2 pints turkey, chicken or vegetable stock

2 tbsp of creme fraiche

1 x 500g packet puff pastry

12 jarred or vac-packed chestnuts, roasted and peeled

2 sprigs fresh sage, leaves picked

1 egg, preferably free-range or organic, beaten

METHOD

How to make Jamie's turkey and sweet leek pie

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Put your bacon in a large pan on a medium heat and add your thyme leaves. Add a lug of olive oil and the butter and let it all fry off a few minutes. Add all of your prepped leeks and fry them off for about 3 minutes so they are well-coated in the butter. Add a pinch of salt and pepper then pop the lid on top, turn the heat down to medium and let them cook away gently for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes to make sure they don't catch. There's going to be enough moisture in the leeks to keep them happy in the pan so they should be soft and melt in your mouth once they're done.

2. When your leeks are ready, add the turkey meat to them and stir. If you've got a bit of stuffing mixed in there you can put that in too. Add the flour, mix it in well then pour in your stock and stir again. Add the crème fraîche then turn the heat up and bring everything back up to the boil. Have a taste and add a bit more salt and pepper if it needs it then turn the heat off. Pour the mixture through a sieve over another large empty pan and let the wonderful gravy from the mixture drip into the pan while you roll out your pastry.

3. Get a deep baking dish roughly 22 x 30cm. Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with a bit of flour and roll your pastry out so it's about double the size of your dish. Crumble the chestnuts over one half of the pastry then tear a few of the sage leaves over the chestnuts. Fold the other half of pastry on top then roll it out carefully and evenly so you have a rectangle big enough to cover your baking tray. Don't worry if a few bits stick out here and there.

4. Spoon that thick leek mixture from your sieve into the pie dish and spread it out evenly. Lay your pastry on top, tuck the ends under then gently score the pastry diagonally with your knife. Add a pinch of salt to your beaten egg then paint this egg wash over the top of your pastry. Pop your pie in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown. When the pie is ready, re-heat the lovely gravy and serve with your pie, along with some peas tossed in butter, lemon, salt and pepper and everyone's happy!