Classic chicken pot pie

1. Season the chicken pieces. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the chicken until browned. Add the carrot, leek and garlic and fry for 4-5 minutes.

2. Turn the heat right up, add the flour and keep stirring for a couple of minutes before adding the sherry or wine. Once thickened, add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and peas. Allow to cool, then transfer to a 2-litre pie dish. (Even better, chill the filling overnight to let the flavours develop. Take out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.)

3. Heat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 7. Brush the top edges of the pie dish with a little of the egg wash. Roll out the pastry to 0.5cm thick, just a little larger than the dish. Make a hole the size of a £2 coin in the centre and gently lift onto the cooled filling. The easiest way is to roll the pastry around a rolling pin and unravel it over the pie dish so you don’t warm it up with your hands too much. Press down or crimp the edges of the pastry, then trim off any excess using a serrated knife. Save any leftover pastry for a pattern on top, sticking it down with more egg wash. Brush the whole top with the remaining egg wash and chill for 10 minutes (if not chilled overnight). Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden and the pie is bubbling. Check it 10 minutes before the end – if your oven is on the hot side and it starts browning too quickly, you might need to cover it with foil.