Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 2oz puff pastry
• 1 free-range egg
• lightly beaten
• plain flour
• 1 onion
• chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• chopped
• 30g/1oz butter
• 300g/10oz new potatoes
• peeled and cut roughly into 1.5cm/½in thick chunks
• 1 orange
• zest only
• 150ml/5fl oz dry white wine
• 2½ tbsp plain flour
• 300ml/10¾fl oz chicken stock
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 700g/1lb 9oz boneless chicken
• cut into 3-4cm/1½in chunks
• 150ml/5fl oz double cream
• 300g/10oz asparagus
• trimmed and cut into 4cm/1½in lengths

Directions

• For the filling
• fry the onion and garlic gently in the butter until tender
• without browning.
• Add the potatoes
• orange zest and white wine
• and boil down until the wine has virtually disappeared.
• Sprinkle over the flour and stir for a few seconds
• so it is evenly distributed.
• Gradually stir in the stock
• to make the sauce.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the chicken.
• Cover and leave to simmer away quietly for 10 minutes or so.
• Stir occasionally
• then uncover for another five minutes
• until sauce has thickened.
• Stir in the cream and cook for a final three minutes.
• Meanwhile
• cook the asparagus lightly in salted water
• until tender
• but not floppy.
• Drain.
• Stir the asparagus in with the chicken and potatoes.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Spoon the whole lot onto a 1 - 1.5 litre/1¾ - 2½ pint pie dish and leave to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/425F/Gas 7.
• Roll the pastry out thinly on a floured board.
• Cut out a couple of long strips
• about 1cm/½in wide.
• Brush the edge of the pie dish with the beaten egg.
• Lay the strips on the edges
• curving to fit
• and cutting so that they go all the way round
• but don't overlap.
• Brush with egg wash
• then lay the remaining pastry over the top.
• Trim off excess
• and press the pastry down all around the edge to seal.
• Use the trimmings to make decorative leaves
• or flowers or whatever takes your fancy
• and then glue them in place with the beaten egg.
• Make a hole in the centre so that steam can escape
• Chill the pie in the fridge for 30 minutes
• then brush with beaten egg and place in the oven.
• After 10 - 15 minutes
• when the pie is golden brown
• reduce the heat to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and continue cooking for a further 20-25 minutes.
• Serve hot.