Form an orderly queue! A homemade chicken and leek pie is such a treat.

For four people, you will need:
Three or four chicken breasts
Three leeks
150ml double cream
2 tsp of vegetable stock dissolved into 250ml of hot water
Half a teaspoon of Herbes de Provence

For the shortcrust pastry:
8 oz plain flour
6 oz butter
A pinch of salt
4 tablespoons of cold water (possibly a bit extra)

Preheat the oven to 180.

Pop the chicken breasts in the oven in a large oven dish and cook for the required time.

In the meantime, make the buttery shortcrust pastry.

Sift the flour and add the salt into a mixing bowl. Chop the butter into cubes and coat them in the flour. Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre and add the water. Press the mix together (you might need to add some extra water) and form a dough. Turn on to a lightly floured board and knead the pastry until it’s smooth. Put the dough back into the bowl in the shape of a ball, cover with cling wrap and chill in the fridge for half an hour.

Finely chop the leeks and sauté in a pan with a bit of butter and drain once cooked.

Turn the chicken and pop it back into the oven until it is well cooked.

Get the pastry out of the fridge and roll out onto a floured surface, to the thickness of around half a centimetre (this pastry is only for the top of the pie, so it’s nice and comfortingly generous!)

Slice the chicken into small pieces and add the leeks to the same oven dish. Pour over the double cream and vegetable stock until it’s a juicy mix – not too liquidy but just enough so the chicken is sitting in stock and cream (not swimming in it!). Roll your pastry around your rolling pin to transfer it to the oven dish and cover it completely.

Fold in a little at the edges for a small crimp, prick with a fork all over and put the dish back into the hot oven for about half an hour, until golden brown.