METHOD
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vegetables
Add the butter to a pan and place it over medium heat. Finely chop the carrots, celery, leek, and mushrooms. Add them to the pan, stir, and sauté for 6–8 minutes, until the vegetables soften.
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meat and spices
Cut the boneless chicken thighs into small cubes. Add them to the vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the finely chopped onion, thyme, marjoram, pepper, and salt, then stir and cook for another minute. Add the flour and cook for 3 more minutes to let the flour cook through.
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add the rest of the ingredients
Pour the water into the pan with the meat and vegetables. Stir in the frozen peas, ham, chopped parsley, and balsamic vinegar. Mix well and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
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oven and crust
Place the oven rack on the lower level and preheat the oven to 200 °C (fan) / 210 °C (conventional) — that’s 390 °F (fan) / 410 °F (conventional). Roll out the shortcrust pastry (you can use homemade quiche dough—simply click on the ingredient) and trim it so it's slightly larger than the size of your baking dish. Choose a 22 cm (8 inches) pie dish (with a capacity of up to 1500 ml).
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bake and serve
Pour the chicken and vegetable filling into the baking dish. Place the shortcrust pastry over the top and press it firmly against the edges of the dish so it completely covers the filling and the rim. Brush with beaten egg. From the remaining dough, cut out circles or any shapes you like and arrange them decoratively on top. Brush again with beaten egg and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 40–45 minutes at 200 °C (fan) or 210 °C (conventional), or until the pie is beautifully golden brown. Once baked, remove it from the oven, let it cool slightly, then serve.