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    English Mum's festive pie

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    English Mum's festive pie

    'One of my favourite things about Christmas is entertaining. I’m never happier than when there are guests at our table, and the house is filled with the sounds of chinking glasses and chatter.  In our house, we traditionally invite friends and family over for dinner on Boxing Day.  It’s a great way to relax and unwind after the big day, and I tend to make a huge pie using leftover turkey and ham, then just serve it simply with mashed potato and steamed veg.  Of course, you don’t have to wait until Boxing Day - this pie is just as delicious using chicken instead of turkey, and it can be made well in advance and kept in the fridge ready to pop into the oven.'

    While all Waitrose recipes are tested extensively, we do not test any community or third party recipes, so cannot verify the results or answer queries concerning them.

    Makes: 6 - 8

    Ingredients

    PASTRY

    400g plain flour

    200g butter

    1 large free range egg, beaten

    Salt and pepper

    Cold water

    PIE FILLING

    2 tbsp oil

    1 large onion, chopped

    450g Waitrose gourmet pork sausages (or leftover stuffing)

    Splash of Marsala

    500g leftover turkey, shredded

    180g whole chestnuts (vacuum packed), chopped

    1 pack Waitrose thick cut honey roast ham (or leftover Christmas ham), chopped

    100g cranberries (fresh or frozen)

    Small tub double cream

    500ml chicken stock

    Method

    1. First, make the pastry (although do feel free to buy it if you’d rather): cut the cold butter into cubes, add it to the flour and season well.  Gently rub in the butter using just your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  

    2. Add the egg and a couple of tablespoons of cold water to the mix – you’ll need just enough to bring it together into a rough dough.  Wrap the dough in clingfilm and pop it in the fridge to rest while you make the filling.

    3. To make the pie filling, heat the oil in a large heavy based pan and fry the chopped onion until translucent, then take the meat out of the sausage skins and add into the pan.  Fry gently, breaking up the sausage meat, until it’s golden brown.  Tip the mixture out into a bowl, then pop the pan back on the heat and add a generous splash of Marsala to deglaze the pan, scraping up any stuck bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

    4. Add the sausage mixture back in, along with the shredded turkey, chestnuts, ham and cranberries. Stir together then pour over the chicken stock and swirl in a generous glug of double cream. Cover the pan, turn down the heat and allow to cook for about 20 minutes.   

    5. Turn off the heat, then allow the filling to cool completely while you roll out the pastry.  Divide the pastry roughly in two and reserve half for the lid.  Roll out the base to about 5-6mm thick, moving the pastry around in 1/4 turns as you roll until you've got a rough circle.  Roll the pastry up around the rolling pin, then unroll it over your pie dish. Push it down gently, and use little extra bits to fill any holes or cracks. 

    6. Using a slotted spoon, pile the cooled filling into the pie (if the filling is still warm it will begin to melt the butter and you'll get the dreaded 'soggy bottom').  Reserve the extra gravy to serve at the table.  Roll out the pastry lid, then top the pie and crimp the edges with your fingers, or a fork so that they're sealed together.  If you want to decorate the pie, stick your design to the pastry with a little beaten egg, then give the whole lot a final egg wash. Refrigerate the pie until needed.   

    7. To cook: preheat the oven to 180/gas 4, then bake for around 45 minutes or until golden brown.

    Et voila, a stunning way to wow your festive guests and make leftovers into a celebration meal in their own right.                                                                                                                                       

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