Chicken Leek & Ham Pie with Chorizo

• Preheat the oven to 200C gas 6.
• Place the onion, garlic, leeks, chicken and stock cubes into a saucepan. Just cover with water and bring to a boil.
• Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked but not falling off the bone.
• Once cooked, remove from the stove and lift out the chicken thighs. Place the pan back on the stove and reboil. Cook for 5 minutes to thicken the stock.
• Meanwhile, remove the skin from the chicken and discard, then pull the meat away from the bone. When all the thighs are done, roughly chop.
• Place the chicken back into the reduced stock and mix well off the heat. There should be enough sauce to cover the meat well but not too sloppy.
• Place back on the stove and heat.
• Mix the cold water and starch and gently pour into the simmering chicken veg mix. It will pretty much thicken straight away. But don't go mad; there is nothing worse than a heavy gloopy consistency.
• Add the peas, cooked ham and sweetcorn, season with salt and pepper. The mix should be nice and thick now.
• Spoon into a 26cm x 19cm deep oval dish. If you can cool, then chill all the better.
• Roll out the pastry, then cut roughly the shape you require. Finally, cut and keep the trimmings.
• Egg the top of the baking dish, then lay the trimmings around the edge and press gently. Then re egg.
• Lay the oval of pastry carefully over, press down well and decorate the edge.
• Egg well, then make 2-3 slits in the top of the pastry.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, cool for 10 minutes, then cut and eat.

Pastry

• Place the flour, salt and margarine into a bowl and really mix well. Rub in well until you have fine breadcrumbs. I tend to take the lazy route and use a food processor.
• Add the egg and a little water and really mix well. Keep an eye on the texture. You may need to add a little more water, so it's nice and soft. Bear in mind the gum will tighten up the mixture considerably. Roll out and use.