The Fabulous Baker Brothers

Tom Herbert's chicken pie recipe is packed with creamy leeks and flavoured with tarragon and white wine

Serves 6

• Good knob of butter
• 3 leeks, washed and shredded
• Small bunch of thyme
• 6 rashers bacon, chopped
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced
• 2 heaped tbsp plain flour
• Good glass of white wine
• 250ml crème fraiche
• Small bunch of tarragon, leaves picked and roughly chopped

For the shortcrust pastry

• 600g strong white flour
• 150g cold beef dripping, broken into pieces
• 150g cold butter, diced
• 2 tbsp ice cold water

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6. To make the pastry, add the flour to the beef dripping and mix until the lumps have gone. Add the cold butter and mix it in until you have big breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and when the pastry has come together, roll it into a sausage, wrap it in cling film and leave it to chill for 30 minutes before using.

2. Meanwhile heat a large frying pan on a medium heat, add the butter allow to melt. Add the leeks, salt and pepper and thyme and cook for 10-15 minutes until soft and sweet.

3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a separate pan on a high heat fry the bacon until crispy, then add the chicken and brown off too.

4. Once the leeks are softened, stir in the flour then add the wine and cook for a couple of minutes until the alcohol has cooked off. Add the browned chicken and bacon, stir in then add the crème fraiche. Stir through then add the chopped tarragon. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.

5. Cut the pastry in half and roll each half out until it is about the thickness of a pound coin. Use one sheet to line the bottom of a pie dish, fill with your cooled chicken and leek mixture then lay the other sheet over the top.

6. Use your fingers to crimp and pinch around the outside to seal the pie. If you like make a little design with the offcuts. Brush the top with beaten egg and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.