Chicken and Ham Pie

Roughly chop 2 shallots and 2 garlic cloves into chunks. Add to a saucepan with the milk, bay leaves and 1 tablespoon of the tarragon. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 20 minutes. Strain the milk and discard the vegetables and herbs.

Melt a knob of butter in another pan over a medium heat. Finely dice the remaining shallots and garlic then add to the melted butter with the chicken and the remaining tarragon. Cook until the shallots are soft and the chicken is approximately half cooked through.

Melt 50g of butter in another pan. Add the flour and whisk into a paste to create a roux. Cook the paste for about 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk and the stock in small doses, whisking constantly. You will end up with a milky sauce that is free from lumps. Reduce down until you have a thick, creamy sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the chicken, shallots, garlic and the ham into the sauce.

Grease a pie dish. Roll out one sheet of the pastry and lay it over the dish. pour the filling into the pastry and brush the edges with the beaten egg. Roll out the other sheet of pastry and lay it across the top. Press down the edges to seal the pie, trim off the excess and brush the top of the pie with egg. Make a slit in the top of the pastry with a knife.

Cook the pie in the oven (200C/180C fan assisted) for approximately 40 minutes or until the top of the pie is golden brown.