Chicken, Porcini and Meatball Pies

chicken, porcini

& meatball pies

Makes 8

20g dried porcini mushrooms*

350g pork and herb sausages

1/4 cup (15g) fresh white breadcrumbs

2 tsp each fresh thyme & lemon zest

1 tbs olive oil

30g unsalted butter

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tbs flour

1 cup (250ml) chicken stock

150ml thickened cream

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

3 3/4 cups (600g) chopped cooked chicken,

(skinless barbecued chicken is fine)

4 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg, lightly beaten

Green salad, to serve

Place porcini in a bowl with 1 cup (250ml)

boiling water and soak for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C. 

Remove sausage casings and mix meat well with

the crumbs, thyme, zest, salt and pepper.

Roll into 16 marble-sized meatballs. Heat

oil in a large frypan over medium heat and

cook meatballs, turning, for 3-4 minutes

until golden all over. Remove from pan and

drain on paper towel.

Reduce heat to low, then add butter to

pan. Cook onion, stirring, for 1 -2 minutes

until softened, then stir in flour. Add

porcini soaking liquid to the pan with the

stock (reserving mushrooms) and stir well

to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes until*

mixture thickens slightly.

 Add cream and

cook for a further 2 minutes. Season, then

stir in parsley. Chop reserved mushrooms,

then stir into pan along with meatballs and

chicken. Remove from heat. Allow to cool.

Grease 8 holes in 2 Texas muffin pans

or eight 3/4 cup (185ml) individual pie

dishes. Cut eight 12cm rounds from the

shortcrust pastry and eight 10cm rounds

from the puff pastry, reserving remaining

puff pastry to decorate if desired. Gently

press the shortcrust into pans and spoon

in cooled filling. Brush the edges of the

puff pastry rounds with a little water and

use to top the pies, moistened-side down.

Press down to seal, then decorate with

reserved puff pastry if desired. Brush

the tops with egg wash and bake for

20 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Cool the pies in the pan for 5 minutes,

then remove and serve with a green salad.

@ From gourmet food shops and delis.