This recipe for a filling Chicken and Vegetable Pie comes from Fantastico!, Gino D'Acampo's Italian cook book.
Chicken and Mediterranean Vegetable Pie – Recipe
Torta di Pollo e Vegetali
“I have never been a big fan of pies,” says Italian cook Gino D’Acampo in his new recipe book Fantastico! (pub. Kyle Cathie, RRP £14.99) “but things changed when I came to live in England. I started to appreciate them so, of course, I’ve had to design one with my own signature.”
His recipe for Chicken and Mediterranean Vegetable Pie appears here (with permission) and makes a satisfying family meal. Other dishes in the book, which is reviewed here, include the Neapolitan fast food favourite Deep-fried Risotto Balls Served with Spicy Tomato Sauce.
Ingredients – Serves 4
- 300g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
- 300g leeks, cut into 2cm chunks
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks
- 100g parsnips, cut into 1 cm chunks
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 50g salted butter
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2cm chunks
- 50g plain flour
- 100g Dolcelatte cheese
- 2 courgettes, finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- Salt and pepper
For the pastry
- 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 120g salted butter, at room temperature
- 70g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 medium egg
Method
- To make the pastry, mix the flour with a pinch of salt in a large bowl and rub in the butter with your fingers to create a breadcrumb texture. Mix in the Parmesan and make a well in the centre. Add the egg and about 2 tablespoons of cold water. Knead until firm, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- Cook the potatoes, leeks, carrots and parsnips in about 600ml of boiling salted water for 10 minutes until softened. Drain, reserving the liquid and mix with the stock cube and more water to give 600 ml of stock.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the garlic for about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and cook over a medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring, until golden on all sides. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the flour with a wooden spoon. Return the pan from the heat and mix in the flour with a wooden spoon.
- Return the pan to the hob and continue to cook over a medium heat for about 2 minutes. Slowly add the stock, bring to the boil and cook for a further 3 minutes.
- Add in the Dolcelatte, courgettes, the cooked vegetables, the chives, then season and stir well. Spoon the mixture into a 1.5 litre pie dish.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and mark out a round or oval shape to fit the top of your dish. Moisten the rim of the dish with water and place the pastry on top. Press the edges to seal and trim away any excess pastry. Garnish with some leaf shapes made from the pastry trimmings and brush beaten egg over the entire pie.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for about 40 minutes or until the pastry crust is a lovely golden brown colour. Serve immediately.
The copyright of the article Chicken and Vegetable Pie in Italian Cuisine is owned by Rebecca Ford. Permission to republish Chicken and Vegetable Pie must be granted by the author in writing.
