Chicken and leek pies

Method

1. Put the chicken thighs and drumsticks into a large saucepan, add the garlic, bay leaves and thyme, then pour on the stock to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Lift out the chicken onto a plate and allow to cool. Strain the stock into a jug and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat, then add the onion and leeks and cook for 6–8 minutes until the leeks soften. Season with some salt and pepper and add the flour. Cook, stirring frequently, for another couple of minutes.
3. Skim off any fat from the stock. Add the stock to the leeks a ladleful at a time, letting it to come to the boil and thicken between each addition. Continue until the sauce is the consistency you like (you won’t need all the stock). Pick the chicken from the bones, tear into bite-sized pieces and add to the sauce with the mustard and parsley. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary. Leave to cool. (You can prepare the filling ahead and keep it covered in the fridge overnight.)
4. Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin then lift onto a tray and place in the fridge to rest for 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 180°C.
5. Using a plate as a guide, cut out 8 pastry discs: four 25cm and four 20cm in diameter. Lay the 4 larger discs on rounds of baking parchment and spoon a good mound of pie filling into the centre of each disc. Brush the pastry edges with eggwash. Lay the other pastry discs on top and draw the pastry underneath up over the edges to enclose the filling. Press the pastry edges firmly together and crimp to seal. Brush the pastry with egg wash and cut a couple of small holes in the top of each pie.
6. Place the pies on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling is piping hot. Serve straight from the oven, with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.