Chicken Pot Pies

Transforming any casserole (or even combination of leftovers) into pot pies is a great way to ‘dress it up’ and make them seem far more impressive for very little extra work! Here I’ve used a quick and easy chicken mixture, but you could use almost any favourite casserole for the filling.

To make life your life really easy, it’s worth keeping a package or pre-rolled flaky pastry sheets on hand in the freezer – they can be whipped out and used like this at very short notice. It is however difficult to give an exact quantity required. This depends on the shape and size of the containers you use and how many ‘lids’ you can get from one pastry sheet. (This recipe makes enough filling for four 350ml bowls which are about 11cm across.)

For 4 servings: 

2 Tbsp olive or canola oil

2 medium (350g trimmed total) leeks, sliced
2–3 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled and chopped

250–300g button mushrooms, halved or quartered

400g boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed

1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup cream

1/2 - 1 tsp salt

black pepper to taste

2–4 sheets pre-rolled flaky pastry, thawed

1 egg plus 1 Tbsp water, lightly beaten

Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the leeks are soft (about 5 minutes). Stir in the mushrooms and continue to cook until theses have just softened, then add the chicken and stir-fry until the chicken has lost its pink colour.

Add the thyme, wine and cream and simmer for 10–12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 200˚C. Place the pastry sheets on a dry lightly floured bench and cut four rounds, slightly larger (about 1cm) than the tops of your selected bowls/ramekins. Cut the trimmings into strips about 1.5cm wide.

Divide the filling between the four containers, filling each to about 1cm below the rim. Brush the rims lightly with water, then make a ring of the pastry strips around the top of each dish, pressing them down gently. Lightly brush the pastry-covered rims with water then top with the pasty rounds to make a lid. Gently press the around the edges, fluting them and decorating the tops with pastry trimmings if desired.

Using the point of a sharp knife, carefully poke a vent in the centre of each pie, then brush the tops lightly with the beaten egg mixture. Place pies in the oven and bake at 200˚C for 15–20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Serve alone or accompany with a salad or lightly cooked vegetables and a slice or two of French bread

Note: The filling mixture can be prepared in advance.

Photography: Lindsay Keats

Sausage Cassoulet

This may not be particularly authentic, but it is delicious none-the-less…

It’s another great ‘set it and forget it’ slow cooker recipe. Just put everything in your slow cooker in the morning, then by dinner time it’s ready to go!

You can of course also cook it ‘conventionally’, just follow the instructions at the end of the recipe.

For 4 servings:

about 150g chorizo sausages, sliced

1 medium onion, quartered and sliced

400g can whole or diced tomatoes in juice

2 x 400g can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained

2 Tbsp tomato paste

½ tsp dried sage

½ tsp dried marjoram

500g pork sausages

1/2 - 1 tsp salt

pepper to taste

Non-stick spray the slow cooker bowl, then tip in the tomatoes. Add the sliced chorizo and onion, then add the tomatoes and juice (break up the whole tomatoes, if using), then add the beans, tomato paste and herbs. Stir gently to mix evenly.

Prick each pork sausage with a fork in several places, then nestle them in to the bean mixture.

Set the cooker to LOW, cover with the lid and cook for 8-9 hours. Shortly before serving, lift the sausages from the beans and cut them into 1-2cm thick slices. Stir the sliced sausages back into the bowl, and season to taste with salt and pepper (start with the smaller measure of salt, as the amount required will depend on the sausages used).

Serve in bowls chunks of crusty French bread and a salad on the side.

To cook conventionally: Heat half the oil in a large (flameproof) casserole dish or pot pan over a medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until golden brown on all sides and firm when pressed in the middle (usually 12-15 minutes). Remove and aside until cool enough to handle.

Add the remaining oil to the casserole or pot, add the sliced chorizo and onion and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft. Stir in the tomatoes and juice, drained beans and the herbs. Bring the mixture to the boil then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

When the sausages have cooled, cut them into 1cm slices. Stir the sliced sausages into the tomato mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper then simmer gently, uncovered, for about 5 minutes adding the extra liquid if the mixture looks dry.

Photography: Lindsay Keats

Creamy Pasta & Chicken Bake

When I first made this, I was surprised by how well it was received - it's just so easy! You can also prepare and assemble the dish in advance, then bake it when it is required, definitely an additional bonus.

Although this does work with any boneless, skinless chicken (I use whatever is cheaper at the supermarket), thighs are probably a little nicer as they have less of a tendency to dry out.

For 6 servings:

500g short pasta shapes (spirals, penne etc)

500g boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs

2 Tbsp olive or canola oil

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

1 large clove garlic, peeled and chopped

400g can diced tomatoes in juice

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp salt

pepper to taste

1/2 cup cream

1/2-1 cup grated cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rapid boil and cook the pasta for 8-10 minutes – it should be just slightly underdone at this stage as it will soften a little more as it is baked – then drain it and set it aside.

Cut the chicken crossways into slices about 7mm thick. Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large frypan, then add the chicken and stir-fry until it is lightly browned. Lift the chicken from the pan and set it aside.

Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring frequently until the onion is soft and beginning to turn clear. Stir in the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken and cream to the tomato mixture and simmer gently for a few minutes.

Non-stick spray or oil a shallow 2.5-3 litre capacity casserole dish. Stir the tomato and chicken mixture through the cooked pasta, then tip the pasta mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle with the grated cheese. (You can make the dish to this point in advance if desired, then cover and refrigerate until required.)

Bake at 180°C for 20-30 minutes (use the longer time if the casserole was refrigerated) until the top is golden brown. Serve with a simple salad on the side.