• Two chicken thighs, boned, skinned and cut into bitesize chunks
• A roughly equal quantity of good ham, chopped into bitesize chunks
• 1tbsp plain flour
• A knob of butter
• Chicken stock
• 250ml white wine (a big wine glass worth)
• One carrot, cut into bitesize chunks
• One celery stick, cut into bitesize chunks
• One onion or two shallots, diced
• One clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1tsp dried thyme or 2tsp fresh thyme
• 2tsp English or German mustard
• 1 egg
• A sheet of shop bought puff pastry

At least two hours before you want to eat, start cooking the filling.

In an oven proof pan (one of the Le Creuset frying pans is good), sear the chicken pieces in a little oil until coloured all over. Add the onion, vegetables and ham and cook on a medium heat until slightly softened and fragrant. Add the garlic and the thyme with the butter and allow the butter to melt.

Stir in the flour to thoroughly coat everything, then the wine. Leave to simmer and thicken, then add enough chicken stock to cover everything. Bring to the simmer again, add the mustard and allow to cook until the chicken is tender and the sauce is reduced and thickened to your liking – about twenty to thirty minutes. If it’s getting too thick, add more stock or water and thoroughly combine. Once done, taste for seasoning, adjust and leave to cool.

Heat the oven to 210c. Once the filling is cool, nestle the penguin vent into the centre of the filling. Cut a small hole in the pastry sheet and drape it over the filling. Crimp and trim the sides to fit the pan. Beat the egg and egg wash the pastry lid. Bake the pie until golden brown and puffy, about 25 minutes.