CHICKEN AND PASTRY RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7.
  2. Unroll the pastry, cut it in half lengthways, then cut each half widthways into 8 equal strips.
  3. Flatten the chicken breasts by pounding with your fist until the fat ends are the same thickness as the skinny ends.
  4. Place them in a roasting tray, season with sea salt and black pepper, spread over the pesto, then lay 4 overlapping strips of pastry over each breast, tucking them under at the edges. Brush with a little olive oil.
  5. Lightly dress the tomato vines in olive oil, season and put into a second tray. Place the chicken tray on the top shelf of the oven with the tomatoes below, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the chicken is cooked through.
  6. Meanwhile, line up the beans, trim off just the stalk ends, then cook in a pan of boiling salted water for 7 minutes, or until tender.
  7. Remove the chicken to a board with half the tomatoes, squashing the rest in the tray and discarding the vines. Drain and toss in the beans, taste and season to perfection.
  8. Slice the chicken at an angle and serve on top of the beans, with the whole tomatoes.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7.
  2. Place a 30cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan on a high heat, with a smaller non-stick pan on a medium heat alongside. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the larger pan.
  3. Peel and roughly chop the onions, adding them to the larger pan as you go.
  4. Roughly chop two- thirds of the thighs, finely chop the rest, and add to the onion pan. Cook for 6 minutes, or until golden, stirring occasionally.
  5. Meanwhile, place the mushrooms in the dry pan, tearing up any larger ones. Let them toast and get nutty for 4 minutes, then tip into the chicken pan and strip in half the thyme leaves.
  6. Remove the pan from the heat, add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then stir in 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar and 150ml of water.
  7. Working quickly, roll out the pastry so it’s 2cm bigger than the pan, then place it over the filling, using a wooden spoon to push it into the edges.
  8. Very lightly criss-cross the pastry, then brush with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Poke the remaining thyme sprigs into the middle of the pie.
  9. Bake at the bottom of the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden and puffed up. Easy!