Makes 4
Ingredients
100g unsalted butter
2 leeks, white part only, sliced
Salt and freshly milled black pepper, to season
100ml chicken stock
50g plain flour
400ml semi-skimmed or whole milk
125g smoked cheese, grated
500g cooked turkey, shredded
200g roasted vegetable leftovers, chopped
¼ bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
¼ bunch tarragon, leaves chopped
1 medium free-range egg yolk
4 puff pastry discs, 3mm thick, to cover 1cm over the rim of your pie dishes
Method
Preheat the oven to 180˚C (Gas Mark 4). Place 50g of the unsalted butter in a deep frying pan over a moderate to high heat. Add the leeks, season and cook for 3–4 minutes until they are lightly coloured. Add the chicken stock and cook for a further 5 minutes, strain through a fine sieve, reserving the stock, and set aside.
Melt the remaining 50g of butter in a medium-sized saucepan over a moderate heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add a little of the milk and whisk well. Add the remaining milk and stock, and stir until thickened. Whisk in the cheese and allow to melt. Adjust seasoning if necessary and add freshly milled black pepper.
Place the turkey, chopped vegetables, cooked leeks and herbs into a large bowl then add the sauce. Mix together well, then divide equally between the four pie dishes, leaving a centimetre space before the top of the dish. Brush the tops of the dishes with the egg yolk then lay the pastry over the top, sealing it. Slice the excess pastry off. Brush the pastry with egg yolk and make a slit for the steam to escape.
Bake for 20–25 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Once cooked, allow to rest for a couple of minutes then serve the pies with a dollop of cranberry sauce, if you have any left.
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