Those lovely people at Higgidy are on the hunt for a new recipe and they are asking for all to get involved. Higgidy are handing their next Special Guest Pie over to us, this could involve sharing a few key ingredients or a whole recipe. You haven’t got long though, as the competition closes on Sunday 26th October 2014. For more information head over to the Higgidy website.
I’ll be the first to admit that while I love a good old pie I am not a very proficient pie maker. However I couldn’t not at least attempt to make one so here is one filled with some of my most favourite ingredients, butternut squash, sweet potato and chicken. Mmmmm.
Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato & Chicken Pie
- Pastry
- 300g plain flour
- 75 g cold diced butter
- 75g cold diced lard
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp nigella (black onion) seeds
- Pinch of salt
- Approx 4-6 tbsp very cold water
- Filling
- 250g Sweet Potato chopped into cubes
- 400g Butternut Squash chopped into cubes
- 400g Chicken breast or thighs or a mix of both, diced
- 100ml stock
- 2 Cloves garlic crushed
- 1 Red onion sliced
- 2 tsp Coriander seeds (or 1tsp ground coriander)
- 2 tsp Cumin seeds (or 1 tso ground cumin)
- ½ tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 4 Tomatoes chopped finely
- 1 tbsp Tomato puree
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- Preheat the oven to 200 ºC.
- Put the flour, salt, butter and lard into a bowl and rub gently until a fine breadcrumb consistancy.
- Add the paprika and Nigella seeds and mix gently.
- Gradually add the water and combine until you have a dough that isn’t too sticky.
- Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- In the meantime make the pie filling:
- Mix the spices in a small bowl, gently crush the seeds if using.
- Put all remaining ingredients into a large roasting tray, drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle over the spices then mix well so that everything is coated in the oil and spices.
- Roast for 30 minutes checking every so often that nothing is browning too much. Give the mixture and stir at the same time.
- When the mixture is cooked remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Grease a 30cm pie dish
- Remove the pastry from the fridge, cut just over a third of the pasty and put back into the fridge.
- Flour a worktop and roll the pastry to a size to fit the dish.
- Place the pastry into the dish.
- Line the pastry with baking parchment and baking beans, bake for 15 mins until the pastry is no longer wet. *
- If you have a pastry funnel put it in the centre of the pie base ••
- Pour the pie mixture onto the pie base
- Take the rest of the pastry out of the fridge and roll for the pie top
- Using a beaten egg brush the edges of the pie and place the pie lid on top. Gently press down and cut off any excess. Use this to decorate the pie if necessary.
- Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg.
- Bake the pie in the oven for 30 minutes.
Disclosure: Thank you to Higgidy for the bits and pieces to start me on my pie making mission including my very own lovely personalised rolling pin!
Thanks for the lovely recipe.
I keep thinking now that winter is approaching I should start making some pies for tea. Just seems a bit much when there is only one of me!
Just make the pastry and freeze what you don’t use…then next time you’ll make a pie even quicker. x