You will rush back for second, and even third helpings of this Greek Chicken Pie. It takes a fair amount of time to cook, but the low effort is well rewarded with great taste.
Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Greek Chicken Pie ♥
To butcher: to slaughter animals for food. Or in this case, to mutilate or ruin something. On our recent trip to Kidd’s Beach it became very apparent to me that owning a butcher shop does not make you a butcher! The local butcher had just taken over The Barn from Scotty and renamed it The Brahman Butcher. He had made so many changes in the first week of opening and in my opinion, all to the detriment of this local establishment. Terry told us that the ribs were great, and I should have listened to this advice. Instead, trusting that a butcher would know how to cut meat, I ordered the 300g sirloin. My steak was ordered medium rare as most places do not know how to warm a steak all the way through if ordered rare. The owner was manning the braai, placing himself in charge of the cooking.
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My steak arrived at the table and with one cut I could see it was well done. I sent it back and the second steak arrived rare. I could have forgiven this, had the steak itself been perfect. Except, it was butchered, as in totally ruined. It looked as if the meat had been hacked with a bread knife. The fat was not rendered and it was cold inside. Whereas normally I can forgive the sinew in the sirloin, from a butcher I expected the meat to be properly cut. To add insult to injury, the mushroom sauce I ordered had never seen a mushroom, and tasted like basting sauce. The owner was not open to listening to my criticism. And from speaking to the other people at the table, the only good meal was the ribs. I for one will not be rushing back there next year.
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Greek Chicken Pie
Ingredients
- 865 g onions, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 30 g butter
- 30 mls olive oil
- 1.7 kg whole chicken
- Water to cover
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
- 3 eggs
For the pastry
- 17.5 mls olive oil
- 6 sheets phyllo pastry
Method
- Place the onions, butter, olive oil and chicken into a large stock pot
- Pour just enough water in to nearly cover the chicken
- Put the lid on the pot and bring to the boil over a medium to high temperature
- Reduce the temperature and leave to simmer for 90 minutes
- Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool
- Strain off the stock, reserving the onions
- Return the stock to the pot and boil over a high temperature until almost reduced, and dark in colour
- Add the onions and reduce the temperature
- Season and cook until the onions are completely soft
- Pick the chicken meat off the bones, discarding the bones and the skin
- Break into large chunks and place into the stock
- Continue to cook until the liquid has just about disappeared
- Turn off the heat and set aside to cool
- Preheat the oven to 230° Celsius
- Place the eggs into a mixing bowl and season generously
- Whisk until slackened, add to the cooled chicken and mix to combine
- Lightly oil a pie dish then place a sheet of phyllo pastry into the dish
- Oil the pastry then place the second sheet on top, at a slightly different angle
- Brush this one with oil and place a third sheet on top, again at a different angle
- Place the chicken mixture into the pie dish and level off
- Now tuck the pastry over the chicken
- Place a sheet of pastry on top of the chicken and lightly oil
- Oil another sheet of pastry and scrunch it up and place in the centre of the pie dish
- Place the pie into the oven and bake for 15 minutes
- Remove from the oven and cut into 8 wedges
- Lightly oil the last sheet of pastry and place it on top, just to protect the rest of the pastry
- Reduce the oven temperature to 200° Celsius, place the pie back into the oven and bake for 45 minutes
- Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes
- Discard the top sheet of pastry if it is very burnt and serve the pie
Inspiration published on Lavender and Lime September 2:
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A well cooked steak is truly a delight, but one that is sub-par is so disappointing. Loving this chicken pie though – That crispy pastry on top, delicious!
It was delicious 🙂
Which is exactly why I don’t like going to our local restaurants. Our best dining experiences are when we travel. And it doesn’t have to be fine dining. It can be an ethnic hole in the wall, but when the restaurant has great reviews and has been around for years, you know you’ll get a steak or dumpling perfectly cooked. Love this chicken pie!
It is such a pity as this area has so few places to eat at!
So like phyllo pastry pie.. delicious..
very delicious 🙂
The restaurant may not be under the same ownership next year anyway if he keeps disappointing! You pie is beautiful though!
I doubt it will be!
This Greek pie looks delicious Tandy, and I am interested that you cut it into 8 wedges and then baked it for another 45 minutes. I have never seen that done, but great idea. I also generally steer away form Filo pastry, but this looks well worth the effort. I love a medium rare rump or eye fillet steak, so disappointing to be served a badly cooked steak.
I just followed the recipe (more or less) 🙂
I almost never order a steak at a restaurant and your story illustrates exactly why! Too risky. Not like this Greek chicken pot pie, we love comfort food like this here!
I also am reluctant to order steak when we eat out 🙂
This pie looks wonderful Tandy! The steak experience however sounds absolutely terrible!
It was awful!
Now this really does look amazing, Tandy. As for the other, it seems like half the population of our country have no clue what they are doing in the work place so you just have to live and learn to avoid.
This pie is such a great meal!
That’s a real shame about yoru steak. It’s not like they are cheap either! I will only trust one or two places if I want steak because sadly, it seems like no one knows how to cook a steak to rder these days.
I am spoilt with a sous vide machine which means we don’t often order steak when eating out.