GLUTEN-FREE POLLO, PORCINI AND PARMIGIANO PIES
In the Southern Hemisphere it’s time for food to warm us up and our delicious Pollo, Porcini and Parmigiano Pies for lunch or dinner will do just that.
Filled with a rich chicken, mushroom and vegetable mix with a touch of black garlic, and encased in our Revenge Gluten-free Cream Cheese Pastry they’re a real treat for wintery weather.
Not winter in your region? Sit in the shade of a tree and serve them with a crisp green salad and a cool libation.
Perfect.
Rosie
POLLO, PORCINI AND PARMIGIANO PIES
Serves 8
For the Pastry
2 recipes Revenge Gluten-free Cream Cheese Pastry
2 eggs, separated, for brushing
In between two sheets of kitchen paper and in batches, roll out the pastry to a 3mm thickness. Cut out 16 circles 15.5cm in diameter and 8 circles 3.5cm in diameter.
Leave 8 of the larger circles intact. These will form the base of the pies. From the remaining 8 which will form the tops of the pies, cut a 2.5cm circle from the centre, these small circles will form air-holes.
Take the 3.5cm diameter circles and cut a 2.5cm round from the centre of each leaving you with 8 rings. These rings will be placed around the air-holes in the pastry tops to prevent the edges from over cooking. And they look pretty.
Return the pastry to the fridge at any time if it becomes too soft to handle.
The 2 eggs will be used when compiling and glazing the pies.
For the Filling
40 gm dried porcini mushrooms
850 gm chicken thigh fillets, skin off
Olive oil for frying
300 gm button mushrooms, sliced
5 cloves black garlic, sliced
1 leek, finely sliced
2 carrots, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely sliced
8 cavolo nero leaves, spines removed, leaves finely shredded
¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
20 gm porcini powder (or 20gm dried porcini mushrooms finely ground)
50 ml verjuice
150 ml red wine
300 ml pure cream
200 gm frozen peas
50 gm fresh parmesan, finely grated
Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper to season
Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in 1.5 cups of warm water for 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and squeeze as much water as possible back into the bowl. Retain the soaking liquid for later use. Chop the mushrooms. Set aside.
Sauté the chicken thigh fillets in olive oil (you may need to do this in batches) until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and allow to cool a little before cutting into 1.5cm pieces. Reserve.
Add the button mushrooms to the pan and sauté until browned. Remove and add to the chicken.
Sauté the garlic, leek, carrots, celery, cavolo nero and chilli flakes, adding more olive oil if necessary, until the vegetables are soft.
Add the porcini powder, the porcini mushrooms, the chicken (and any chicken juices) and the sautéed mushrooms and stir to combine. Increase the heat and add the verjuice and the red wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the reserved porcini soaking liquid and simmer, stirring regularly, until the liquid has reduced.
Add the cream and continue to simmer, stirring regularly, until the liquid has reduced to a thick-ish sauce consistency. Add the frozen peas and parmesan and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Allow to cool then refrigerate until chilled.
To Assemble
Separate the eggs, lightly whip the whites and mix the yolks with 1 teaspoon of water.
Use a bowl approximately 14cm in diameter as a mould for the filling. Place 200gm of the chicken filling in the bowl and press down lightly.
Place one of the pastry circles bases on a piece of baking paper. Brush with egg white.
Gently unmould the chicken filling onto the centre of the pastry round.
Place one of the pastry tops over the filling and press down around the edges. The edges of the pasty top will sit inside the edge of the base.
Fold the edges of the bases over the edges of the tops and press down to seal.
Brush the pies with the egg yolk wash and place a pastry ring over the edge of the air holes. Very lightly score slightly curved lines in the pastry from top to bottom. Brush again with egg yolk wash.
Transfer to the prepared oven tray. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
The pies can be refrigerated overnight at this stage. They can be frozen for up to 2 months and defrosted in the fridge.
To Bake
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place one or two oven trays in the oven so they are hot when you are ready to bake the pies.
Transfer the trays on which the pies are placed directly onto the hot trays in the oven. This will ensure the bases of the pies will be cooked through and crisp.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the filling is hot and the pies are golden brown.