These cute little pies are perfect for entertaining and keeping each portion separate. Bake them just before leaving for a picnic to keep them as moist and crisp as possible.
Individual chicken, ricotta and rocket pesto pies
Ingredients
- 15ml (1 tbsp) butter
- 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
- 250g button mushrooms, sliced
- 90g (1 cup) leeks, sliced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 250g roasted chicken, shredded
- 200g ricotta
- 125g rocket pesto
- 150g ready-made roll puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
- microherbs, to serve
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Heat the butter and oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the mushrooms and leeks until tender, 4 – 5 minutes. Season lightly.
To make the filling, combine the mushrooms and leeks, chicken, ricotta, pesto and seasoning. Place the filling in 4 ovenproof ramekins.
Unroll the pastry and use a round cutter to cut 4 pastry lids that fit into the pie dishes. Brush pastry with egg wash and decorate with any leftover pieces of dough. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 – 25 minutes.
Sprinkle with microherbs to serve.
Notes
Use your favourite pesto for this recipe – rocket, basil, coriander or sun-dried tomato pesto work well in this pie. When they have cooled, wrap the pies in pretty brown paper and tie with a bow before packing in the picnic basket.
