Preheat the oven to 180C

Place chopped leeks into a large fry pan along with a knob of butter and cook over medium heat for about 5 mins until the leeks have gone soft. Add the bacon and cracked black pepper and cook for a further two minutes. Remove this mixture from the pan and put aside. 

Add the chopped chicken pieces to the pan and increase the heat to medium high and cook until the chicken is browned lightly on all sides. Once this is done, add the leek mixture back into the pan and toss all together. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and then mix to combine and allow to cook slightly for a minute while stirring.

Add the creme fraiche, dijon mustard and water to the pan and stir through making a moist mixture. Add sea salt to taste. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.

Remove the pan from the heat and place the mixture into the fridge to completely chill.

Lightly butter or spray your pie tins. Using one sheet of pastry cut six pieces of pastry to size to fit the base of the pie tins making sure there is at least a 1.5cm lip extra above the pie tin. Make sure you mould the pastry well to the tins. Place the pastry lined pie tins into the fridge for 15 mins to chill. 

Once chilled, spoon the mixture evenly into each pastry lined pie tin. Cut a circle of pastry slightly larger that the top of the pie tin from the other sheet of pastry. Place this on top of the mixture and inside the outer pastry case. Roll the outside pastry case edges over the top of the pastry lid forming a rolled edge. Using a fork or fingers, make decorative indents on this edge. Using a small knife prick the pastry lid once making a tiny hole to let steam out. Using off cuts of pastry make some decorative shapes to place on top of the lid like leaves, or a chicken shape. Glue them to the pastry lid with a little egg yolk.

Add a small drop of water to your egg yolk and whisk lightly together making the egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush the pastry that is showing with the egg wash making sure its not too wet. 

Place the pie back into the fridge to chill for approx 10 mins.

Once chilled and firm, place onto a tray and into the centre of the oven and cook for approx 50 mins until golden brown and the sides are well cooked. The smaller the pie the less time it will take. If the tops of the pies start to get too brown cover them lightly with foil.

Remove pies from oven  and allow to cool slightly before removing them from the pie tins.

Serve hot. 

By: Chrissy Rob