Ingredients:

250g butter
250g flour + extra for rolling
Cold water approx. 150ml
1 teaspoon salt

Tips:

• When you fold you have to brush off the excess flour every time
• If the butter starts weeping or getting sticky put it in the fridge (do not keep going – the butter won’t layer as we need it to – it will combine)
• You need to do this relaxed, enjoy the pace, do not rush!

Method:

• In a bowl sieve the flour and salt together and mix.
• Slowly add the water and use either your fingers or a fork to combine with the flour until it forms a dough – set side wrapped into the fridge.
• Get the butter and between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper smack it with a rolling pin until it is level and a square.
• Get your flour and dough and roll out approx. 40cm long and approx. 20cm wide.
• Place the butter in the middle, and fold the dough lengthways until it meets in the middle, press down on the rolling pin and roll out the opposite way, again to approx 40cm length and 20cm wide. 
• You need to do this 4 times then set it in the fridge
• You need to do the 4 times 3 times setting it in the fridge each time.

To Make The Pie:

• Get a pie dish (I use an approx. 8inch to 6inch deep as I like a lot of filling
• Cut 2/3 of the pastry, leave the 1/3 in the fridge. 
• Roll out 1/2cm thick and line the pie dish
• Add your filling cold
• Roll out the rest of the pastry 1/2cm too
• Make an egg wash with egg yolk and a splash of milk and brush over the sides where the pasty will meet. Place the lid on and a slice of excess – do not throw away
• Crimping the pastry. If you are right-handed get your thumb on your left hand and your index and middle fingers on your right hand and put your thumb between your fingers, but do this with the pastry all around
• Egg wash the pastry – put in the fridge
• With the excess pastry, you can make shapes and stick them on with egg wash.
• In a 200c oven for 40mins until the pastry is bronzed – serve

Chicken Pie Filling:

• whole chicken in a saucepan filled with cold water and some herbs ie. bay / rosemary, bring up to the boil and simmer for 40mins until totally cooked
• Take off the heat and cool the chicken out of the liquid. Reduce the liquid to 1/3 
• Into a pan, add 2 onions sliced, a couple stalks of celery / leeks, cook off add the chicken and reduced chicken water. You can add a table spoon of corn flour to the mixture by adding it to cold water until it is a smooth and mix in
• I reduce another 1 litre of stock to 1/3 and add
• You can add pancetta / bacon / mushrooms / ham / peas etc.
• Cool the filling before adding to the pie