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Sunday, February 25, 2007

Dreaming of a pie in the sky....

Chicken, bacon and potato pie


I've been pretty busy at work lately. So busy that I can barely find time to read/get my daily dose of foodporn. When home, I'm busy trying to sort through my travel plans with a friend. I'm going on a big massive holiday in about 3 weeks.. if everything goes well! (travel visa still pending!...)

Stumbled on this whilst flickering through an old issue of Donna Hay magazine (Issue 16). I asked Alv if he would eat it, he said "mm Maybe". Good enough response. So I made it, just in time for this months Waiter, there's something in my... pie, hosted by Jeanne.

Chicken, potato and bacon pie
*slightly modified from Issue 16, Donna Hay Magazine

2 tbsp oil*
500g chicken thigh fillets, chopped
3 rashers of bacon, chopped (I used short cut bacon)
2 small sebago potatoes (or 1 large potato)
1/2 brown onion (or 1 small brown onion), chopped
1 tsp rosemary (I used dry herbs)
1 clove garlic
1.5 tbsp plain flour
40ml water
65ml chicken stock
65ml milk
1 sheet of shortcrust pastry
1 egg beaten

Preheat oven to 220 deg C.

Wash, peel and boil potatoes in a pot of salted water for about 10-12 min or until just tender. Drain, slice in to thin pieces and set aside to cool.

Heat a large saucepan with 1 tbsp oil and cook the bacon to your liking (in my case, crisp!), remove from pan and set aside. Add the remaining oil* and chicken and brown for about 3 - 4 mins and set aside. Add the onions, rosemary and garlic, cook for approx 3 - 4mins until fragrant. Return chicken to the pan and mix well.

Combine flour and water in a small bowl. Add the chicken stock, milk and flour/water mixture into the pan. Cook for approx 10mins, stirring until the sauce becomes thick. Remove chicken filling from pan and set aside to cool.

Roll out the pastry between two sheets of baking paper until approx 3mm thick. Place on a lightly greased tray. Place the cooled chicken filling in the middle of the pastry and top with slices of potatoes. Fold the pastry up around the filling. Baste with egg wash and bake for 15 - 20mins until the pastry is golden.

Serves 4.

*Note: If using middle bacon or other fatty bacon, reduce oil to 1tbsp.

The verdict:
I have to say, this is a easy pretty pie to make. What's more it's a free-form pie! Always wanted to make a free form pie. :)

Taste wise it's pretty well balanced considering there was no salt in the ingredients. The chicken stock made up for the salt I think. For good measures, I added some cracked pepper to taste and left it in the oven for an extra 5mins to get a nice crisp on the potatoes.


Chicken, bacon and potato pie

I had grand plans for this month's WTSIM-Pie.. apple crumble pie... plum pie... green curry pie... but in the end all I have to show is this little chicken and potato pie. Though I do like the crispy potato bits.

Talking about pies is making me crave for my favourite Green Curry Chicken pie from Pie in the Sky in Mount Dandenong. Tender pieces of chicken in a lightly spiced green curry sauce and crisp pastry mmm...*drools* They make some of the best pies in Melbourne. We use to go for a one hour drive on the weekend to Olinda just for their pies. Sigh...If only there is time..

Pie in the Sky ™
43 Olinda-Monbulk Rd
Olinda
Ph 03 9751 2128

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good job hon - that's one purty pie! :D

Patricia Scarpin said...

This pie looks wonderful!

I love potatoes and should give this a try - I've never made a free-form pie, either!

@JinomTo said...

hehhh... reminds me of the bacon & potato pie I made for housewarming which was actually meant to be a tart.. but ran out of time...so alas pie.. ;)

Anonymous said...

Hey i-ling! What a funky blog site you got. I've been fasting for the last couple of days and gee, looking at your blog page makes me drool all over my computer! I'll have to read on to see what you've been up to lately...and thanks for leaving a message on me blog! Trust me, I write in English now, but I'll get lazier and lazier. I thought you could read Chinese though?!
I'll come and visit more often. ;)
HAPPY CNY! 恭喜發財!

Adski said...

I couldn't agree more re: The Pie In The Sky, in Olinda! I visit there whenever I get the chance! I love the Tandoori Chicken Pie the best! When I know I'm not going to be able to go back anytime soon, I buy a box of pies and freeze them for later! Pie in the Sky are my Krispy Kremes! Oh how I'd love to get his recipe for his pastry! I'm going to visit there this weekend, so watch out for a review and some pics on my blog!
Yum!!

ilingc said...

Ellie: Thanks mate :)

Patricia: Thank you, it was actually quite easy and delicious!

Ali: The bacon and potato pie that didn't make the cut eh? make it again!

Hasu: Tonyyy!! Why are you fasting?? I've been a bit busy, not much post lately but food blogs are bad when you're fasting and hungry LOL. Too bad you're not joining us in Japan, it'd be so much fun!
Me no read chinese mate! I wish I could, then I won't have so much trouble learning japanese! Happy CNY to you too and I'll look forward to all your 'english' posts!

adski:We buy a whole lot of pies and freeze them too! and the tandoori chicken pie is also Alv's favourite! Alas we've run out of our supply of pies from Pie in the Sky... :(
I'll so be drooling with envy at your pie in the sky post ;)

Anonymous said...

mmmmm... yum yum! maybe you can write about the best of what you've tasted in Australia to invite more people to travel in the country. I'd like to feature you in my blog one of these days. :)

Jeanne said...

Oooh, a free-form pie! You are very brave ;-) That sounds delicious and I like having a pastry crust AND a potato topping - kind of the best of all worlds. And of course it looks just gorgeous. Thanks for participating in WTSIM and hope to see you back next month :)

Brilynn said...

Very pretty! I was actually going to make this pie too!

ilingc said...

Jesse: Hi Jesse. I haven't really traveled interstate much apart from Sydney and Canberra to make any recommendations about Australia. But I'm sure I can talk about what I've come across so far in Melbourne :)

Your blog about travel and accommodation in Australia is pretty cool too. I'd be very honoured if I got a mention in your blog one day :)

Jeanne: It was more lazy than brave! Potato topping was good, if you leave it longer it'll be even crispier! Kinda like eating potato chips :D

Not sure if I can make it for WTSIM next month but I'll jump straight back into it in May for sure!

Brilynn: Thanks! Hope you get to try it one day :)