I have never ever made a pie from scratch. I once made individual pies but it was using store bought puff pastry, not pastry from scratch.

I mean, who has the time in a day to stand and make pastry when you can just buy frozen ready made pies from the store and pop it into the oven and pretend you made it and no one will be any wiser.

Then I came across a recipe from The Harry Potter’s cookbook and it seemed simple enough for me to try out and I had all the ingredients in the fridge which was definitely a sign from the wizardry world that I should definitely try it out.

Ingredients for the pie crust:

• 2 ½ x cups cake flour.
• 1 x tsp salt.
• 8 x tbsp. chilled rama margarine, cut into cubes.
• 8 x tbsp. Holsum ( shortening).
• Roughly ¼ x cup cold water.

Method:

• Place the cake flour, margarine and holsum into your food processor and pulse till it resembles crumbs.
• Pour the mixture into the bowl.
• Add the water and using your hands, bring the mixture together.
• Knead till nice and smooth, if there are lumps of margarine or shortening it is okay as long as they are small lumps.
• Divide the dough into two halves.
• Cling wrap and pop into the fridge to chill for 2 hours.

Ingredients for the filling:

• 1 x onion, finely chopped.
• 400g x mushrooms, sliced.
• 2 x tbsp. cake flour.
• 1 ¼ xc up chicken broth.
• 800 g x chicken fillet, cubed.
• ¼ x tsp thyme.
• Salt and pepper to season.
• 1 x egg, whisked with 1 x tsp tap water, for brushing the top of the pastry.

Method for the filling:

• In a pot, heat some oil.
• Add the onions and mushrooms, saute till the onions are transparent.
• Add the cake flour and give it a good mix.
• Add the chicken broth and stir.
• Allow to mixture to cook till it starts to thicken.
• Add the chicken, thyme and seasoning.
• Allow the mixture to come to the boil again, then remove from the heat and set aside to allow to cool till it reaches room temperature.

How to assemble the pie.

• Take one parcel of the pastry out and roll it out ono a floured surface.
• Spray your pie dish with cook and spray and then carefully place the pastry into the bottom of your pie dish.
• Spoon the filling into your pie dish.
• Roll out the second parcel of pastry and place it over the top of the filling.
• Make sure to seal the edges of the pastry and the create a steam vent in the top of the pastry.
• Brush with the egg wash.

• Pop into a preheated oven and bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes or until the top of the pie is golden brown.