Chicken, Mushroom and Tarragon Pie

A pie is such a fabulous way of using leftover roast chicken, especially if you have quite a lot left.  I always tend to make lots of gravy when we have a roast so that there will be enough for the sauce in a pie the following day, however if you don't have any you can sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over the mushrooms when they are frying then add some chicken stock.
I either make the pastry (as below) or buy ready rolled puff which is certainly quicker.  Also, I feel the need to justify myself here, I know that fresh herbs are preferable and dried are frowned upon, but I normally use dried tarragon for this as fresh tarragon is hard to come by in the little corner of Wiltshire where I live!

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the pastry (if making)

250g Plain Flour

125g Cold hard butter

Pinch of Salt

Cold Water

For the filling

Olive Oil

1 Onion, chopped

I punnet of Mushrooms, sliced (approx. 250g)

Approx. 2 heaped teaspoons Dried Tarragon

(or a handful of fresh leaves)

A good squeeze of Lemon

3-4 tablespoons of leftover chicken gravy

2 tablespoons Double or Whipping Cream (optional)

Any leftover cooked Chicken, in large chunks

Half a bag of baby spinach (optional)

Salt and Pepper

• Preheat the oven to 175C (fan) and thoroughly grease a round spring form cake tin.
• To make the pastry, tip the flour into a bowl and grate in the cold butter (this makes it so much easier).  Mix it with a metal knife and add enough cold water to bring it together in a workable dough.  Take the ball of pastry out of the bowl (it should really be rested for 20 minutes in the fridge now wrapped in cling film but I don't always have time and it still works).  Put it onto a floured surface and, with a floured rolling pin, roll it out until it is about half a centimetre thick.
• Roll the pastry onto the rolling pin and transfer it onto the cake tin, then gently push the pastry down into the tin trying not to stretch it.  Leave the extra pastry hanging over the sides of the tin and set aside.
• To make the filling sizzle the chopped onion in some olive oil in a large frying pan then add the mushrooms, cook on a high heat.  
• When the mushrooms are cooked and not watery turn the heat down and add the gravy (or sprinkle with flour, stir in then add some chicken stock), the cream (if using), the tarragon and the lemon juice.  Bring to a gentle simmer and taste to check the seasoning then add salt and pepper.
• While the sauce is simmering, add the chicken and the spinach and stir gently until the spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat.
• Spoon the filling into the pastry then fold and bunch together the extra pastry making a big pouch with a hole in the middle.
• Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and crispy and the filling is bubbling in the middle.
• Run a knife around the outside of the pastry crust to loosen it then carefully remove the outer section of the tin.  At this point you can be brave and attempt to transfer the pie onto a plate or you can play it safe like me and serve it directly from the tin base.