It seems that I've been on a sweet tangent over the last few weeks, sharing with you some of my favourite party sweet treats like caramel crunch popcorn, the ultimate chocolate cake and cherry coconut slice (I hope you've had a chance to try some). So this week we take the sweet-o-meter down a notch as I share with you my version of a good old party pie.
If there's one thing that ALWAYS makes an appearance at a birthday party, it's the party pie. Usually piping hot and dripping in a sweet and salty rich tomato sauce. Delicious? Yes. Healthy? No.
If you are a lover of the party pie, yet would love to avoid all of those processed fats, additives and flavour impersonators then this is the recipe for you!
Again, I stress the point that good food takes time. If you want to change the way your family eats then it will take a little more time than you may be use to. What's wonderful about this though is that you can take this time and spend it with your children. Getting your children into the kitchen will not only be a joyful experience, it will also teach them healthy cooking skills they will have for life. My 3 year old loves nothing more than getting into the kitchen and helping me mix, crack eggs and cut out cute pastry shapes and while she usually creates more mess than anything, it's time we get to spend together having fun and learning to appreciate the effort that goes into cooking good food.
Please don't be afraid to try making your own pastry. I know it can be daunting at first with so many things that can go wrong, but if you persist and continue to make it regularly, it will get easier. And I GUARANTEE you will never ever be sorry that you made your own pastry. Every buttery, crunchy, mouthwatering bite is totally worth it. I promise you that!
The great thing about this recipe is that it can be prepared well ahead of time as they freeze really well. Come party time, you can just pull them out of the freezer the day before and heat in the oven.
If there's one thing that ALWAYS makes an appearance at a birthday party, it's the party pie. Usually piping hot and dripping in a sweet and salty rich tomato sauce. Delicious? Yes. Healthy? No.
If you are a lover of the party pie, yet would love to avoid all of those processed fats, additives and flavour impersonators then this is the recipe for you!
Again, I stress the point that good food takes time. If you want to change the way your family eats then it will take a little more time than you may be use to. What's wonderful about this though is that you can take this time and spend it with your children. Getting your children into the kitchen will not only be a joyful experience, it will also teach them healthy cooking skills they will have for life. My 3 year old loves nothing more than getting into the kitchen and helping me mix, crack eggs and cut out cute pastry shapes and while she usually creates more mess than anything, it's time we get to spend together having fun and learning to appreciate the effort that goes into cooking good food.
Please don't be afraid to try making your own pastry. I know it can be daunting at first with so many things that can go wrong, but if you persist and continue to make it regularly, it will get easier. And I GUARANTEE you will never ever be sorry that you made your own pastry. Every buttery, crunchy, mouthwatering bite is totally worth it. I promise you that!
The great thing about this recipe is that it can be prepared well ahead of time as they freeze really well. Come party time, you can just pull them out of the freezer the day before and heat in the oven.
By the time I got around to taking photos of the pies, they were mysteriously all gone! Hmm just 1 lonely pie left...
Chicken Party Pies
Makes about 20 party pies
1kg chicken thighs, diced
3 carrots, diced
200g portabello mushrooms
2 cups corn (you can use frozen)
1 red onion
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups milk (I use margaret river organic milk)
4 tbsp spelt flour
1 quantity of shortcrust pastry (see recipe below)
1. Preheat the oven to 180C
2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms and thyme and sauté for 10 minutes.
3. Add the carrots and a dash of water to the pan. Cover with a lid and simmer on low for 15 minutes or until the carrots have softened.
4. Add the chicken and corn to the pan and cook over a high heat for 15 minutes or until the chicken is nearly cooked.
5. Add the stock, milk and flour to the pan and stir through. Reduce to a simmer and continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove from the heat and allow to cook slightly.
7. For younger children, I find that blending the mixture makes the pies easier for them to eat. You can place the mixture into a food processor and pulse a couple of times.
8. Remove pastry from the fridge and roll it out so it is about 5mm thick and cut circles large enough to fill muffin tins (you want the pastry to over fill the tin). Place squares of baking paper into each hole to cover the pastry. Fill with rice and place in the freezer for 15 minutes. (Remember you want enough pastry left to cut out shapes for the top)
9. Remove muffin tins from the freezer and place into the oven for 20 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and gently remove baking paper and rice.
11. Place muffin tins back into the oven for another 10 minutes.
12. Once the pastry is slightly golden, remove from the oven and fill with your pie mixture.
13. Using the remainder of your pastry, cut out some shapes (stars, flowers etc) and place on top of the pie mixture.
14. Place back into the oven for another 15 minutes or until golden.
Shortcrust Pastry
360g unsalted butter
500g white spelt flour
200ml ice cold water (only use the amount needed)
It is so much easier to make pastry using a food processor. This saves time and effort.
Finely dice the butter and place into a food processor with the flour. Pulse a few times until you see small chunks. Place mixture into a bowl. Slowly add a bit of water at a time, and using a knife, cut through the mixture to combine. Keep adding water until your pastry looks moist yet not overly wet. Bring the pastry together into a ball and wrap in cling wrap. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
* This recipe is an adaptation from Jude Blereau's 'Wholefood' cookbook. Jude's books are amazing and I highly recommend them!
* You can make these weeks ahead and freeze.
Makes about 20 party pies
1kg chicken thighs, diced
3 carrots, diced
200g portabello mushrooms
2 cups corn (you can use frozen)
1 red onion
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups milk (I use margaret river organic milk)
4 tbsp spelt flour
1 quantity of shortcrust pastry (see recipe below)
1. Preheat the oven to 180C
2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms and thyme and sauté for 10 minutes.
3. Add the carrots and a dash of water to the pan. Cover with a lid and simmer on low for 15 minutes or until the carrots have softened.
4. Add the chicken and corn to the pan and cook over a high heat for 15 minutes or until the chicken is nearly cooked.
5. Add the stock, milk and flour to the pan and stir through. Reduce to a simmer and continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove from the heat and allow to cook slightly.
7. For younger children, I find that blending the mixture makes the pies easier for them to eat. You can place the mixture into a food processor and pulse a couple of times.
8. Remove pastry from the fridge and roll it out so it is about 5mm thick and cut circles large enough to fill muffin tins (you want the pastry to over fill the tin). Place squares of baking paper into each hole to cover the pastry. Fill with rice and place in the freezer for 15 minutes. (Remember you want enough pastry left to cut out shapes for the top)
9. Remove muffin tins from the freezer and place into the oven for 20 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and gently remove baking paper and rice.
11. Place muffin tins back into the oven for another 10 minutes.
12. Once the pastry is slightly golden, remove from the oven and fill with your pie mixture.
13. Using the remainder of your pastry, cut out some shapes (stars, flowers etc) and place on top of the pie mixture.
14. Place back into the oven for another 15 minutes or until golden.
Shortcrust Pastry
360g unsalted butter
500g white spelt flour
200ml ice cold water (only use the amount needed)
It is so much easier to make pastry using a food processor. This saves time and effort.
Finely dice the butter and place into a food processor with the flour. Pulse a few times until you see small chunks. Place mixture into a bowl. Slowly add a bit of water at a time, and using a knife, cut through the mixture to combine. Keep adding water until your pastry looks moist yet not overly wet. Bring the pastry together into a ball and wrap in cling wrap. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
* This recipe is an adaptation from Jude Blereau's 'Wholefood' cookbook. Jude's books are amazing and I highly recommend them!
* You can make these weeks ahead and freeze.