(Starter - Serves 4-6)
Ingredients
Pastry
100 g / 4 oz cold LURPAK slightly salted butter
100 g / 4 oz plain flour
100 g / 4 oz grated cheese
1/2 tbsp milk
Filling
500 g / 1 lb fresh white asparagus
200 ml / 7 fl oz water
300 g / 11 oz chicken breasts fillets, cut into small pieces (2 cm / 1 1/4")
3/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp plain flour
100 ml / 4 fl oz milk
freshly ground pepper
Accompaniment: 520 g / 1 lb mixed salad of round soft lettuce, green asparagus and flatleaved parsley.
Baking time: Approx. 30 min. at 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
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Instructions
Pastry: Cut the butter into smaller pieces and crumble it into the flour. Add cheese and knead the pastry lightly with milk. Place covered in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Filling: Peel the asparagus from the top towards the bottom and cut off the hard bottom. Cut the peeled asparagus into approx. 2 cm / 1 1/4" pieces. Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan and add asparagus, chicken and salt. Boil, covered, over a low heat for approx. 1 min.
Stir together flour and half of the milk in a bowl. Add remaining milk and add the thickening (milk and flour mixture) to the asparagus while stirring. Boil the stew over a low heat and while stirring for approx. 1 min. Add pepper and season. Pour the stew into a tart tin (approx. 24 cm / 9 1/2" diam.).
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to make a large round shape (approx. 27 cm / 10 1/2" diam.). Place the pastry over the filling as a lid and press the edge well. Cut off the surplus pastry and use it as decoration on the lid. Bake the asparagus pie in the centre of the oven.
Tip: Instead of fresh asparagus used tinned asparagus. Leave to drain in a sieve.
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