‘Chicken Pie’ with Mixed Salad

chicken

1. Bring the chicken to the boil in 5 l milk, season with thyme and basil. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, then let cool. Separate the meat from the bones and skin, do not pour away the broth. Cut the carrots and leek into small pieces, add to the broth, and later the meat too. Bring to the boil again until the vegetables are a little softer. Season well with salt and pepper.

Pie

1. Put the flour, butter and salt in a mixing bowl and use a fork to cut the cold butter into the flour until it becomes crumbly. (The pieces of butter should be the size of a pea). Tip the mixture onto a clean, cool work surface and make a large hollow in the middle of the pile. Pour the cold water into the well and slowly mix into the mixture with a fork until a ball emerges from the dough. Don’t work on it for too long! Shape the dough into a square. A few bits of butter will still be visible. Sprinkle flour on the work surface and roll the dough with a rolling pin until you have a long rectangle. (About 25cm) Sprinkle flour on the dough again and again so that it does not stick. Be careful not to sprinkle too much flour! Fold the dough lengthways from the top and then again from the bottom up. The lower half should be folded over the upper half to create three layers. Turn the dough a quarter turn and roll out. Repeat the same process 3 or 4 times. Then wrap the dough (in the shape of a rectangle) with cling film and store it flat in the refrigerator for an hour. Take the dough out of the fridge, let it warm up a little and roll out again. Then roll out thinly with a pasta machine (or rolling pin). Grease small bowls, then cover with batter, pour in the chicken mixture, then cover with batter. Bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees for 45 minutes (or until the batter is golden brown and hard.

salad

1. Peel the cucumber, cut the tomatoes in half, knock the seeds out of the pomegranate, cut the cheese into strips. Wash the lettuce and shred it into smaller pieces. Cut the rocket and shred it into pieces. Distribute everything nicely on the plate. Serve with any salad dressing.