Chicken and Mushroom Pie
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2 tbsp olive oil
3 chicken breasts, skin and bone removed
150g/5˝oz button mushrooms, quartered
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
50g/2oz butter
2 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting
300ml/˝ pint milk
200ml/7fl oz chicken stock
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
freshly ground white pepper
pinch salt
small handful fresh parsley, chopped
500g/1lb 2oz ready-made short-crust pastry (see below)
1 free-range egg, beaten

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the chicken and fry until the chicken begins to turn white.
3. Add the mushrooms and continue to fry until the chicken is golden-brown.
4. Remove the chicken and mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the same pan and fry for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Remove from the heat and set aside with the chicken and mushrooms.
5. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for about three minutes, stirring constantly until it has formed a thick smooth paste (this is called a roux).
6. Mix the milk and stock together in a jug, then add the nutmeg, white pepper and salt, to taste. Pour the liquid slowly into the flour mixture, whisking all the time until smooth. Simmer over a gentle heat, stirring constantly, for about five minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
7. Stir in the chopped parsley and pour the sauce over the chicken and mushroom mixture. Mix well then leave until completely cool.
8. Grease a pie dish and make the pastry recipe below. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until as thin as you can get it. Line your baking dish with it and trim off the edges, brush the edges with beaten egg. Re-Roll the remaining pastry to make the top of your pie.
9. Pour your filling into your pie dish which is lined with pastry, then lay the pastry top on and crimp the pastry together with your fingers and brush with egg. Cut some leaf shapes for the top and stick on with egg. 
10. Make two or three slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape and then bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden-brown on top.


Pastry
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250g plain flour
pinch of salt
100g butter, cubed
60ml cold water

Method
1. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl and add the cubes of butter.
2. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until you have a mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining. Try to work quickly so that it does not become greasy.
3. Using a knife, stir in just enough of the cold water to bind the dough together.
4. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 10-15 minutes before using.
5. Alternatively using a food processor, put the flour, butter and salt in the food processor and pulse until the fat is rubbed into the flour.
6. With the motor running, gradually add the water through the funnel until the dough comes together. Only add enough water to bind it and then stop.
7. Wrap the dough in clingfilm as before and chill for 10-15 minutes before using.