MasterChef South Africa contestants were challenged to create a pie this weekend. As a sponsor of MasterChef South Africa, Pick n Pay presents a home-cooked version of these popular pies, sure to satisfy the hunger of the entire family for under R190 (or reduce the cost by cooking your own chicken from scratch).
Those who tuned into MasterChef South Africa this weekend would have seen the contestants stressing over creating the perfect pie for the judges, but for those who don’t have three hours to cook, Pick n Pay has the perfect pie hack.
Chef Nokx Majozi, senior chef at Rosewood London’s Holborn Dining Room and head pie maker who makes hundreds a day, was in the MasterChef South Africa studio to give the contestants a crash course in making the perfect beef pie (See another one of her creations, a Caramelised Onion Pie – here).
“Chicken pie is up there as one of the world’s most comforting meals,” says MasterChef South Africa judge Justine Drake. Fortunately, living in South Africa means the bar for an incredible pie is often set at the level of the legendary ‘garage pie’ – usually with a meaty filling such as pepper steak or beef Cornish oozing out as you bite into the soft, flaky pastry. This can be easily recreated by any aspiring home cook.
As a sponsor of MasterChef South Africa, Pick n Pay presents a home-cooked version of these popular pies, sure to satisfy the hunger of the entire family for under R190 (or reduce the cost by cooking your own chicken from scratch).
Homemade chicken pie
Ingredients
1 x PnP rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 x packet pre-cooked mixed vegetables
1 x 400g Pnp Chicken a La King cook in sauce
1 x 400g PnP Puff Pastry
1 x egg
Method
Mix the cooked, shredded chicken with frozen or fresh mixed vegetables and cook-in sauce.
Roll a sheet of puff pastry into a buttered pie dish (tip: cold dough = flaky crust), add filling and top with another sheet of pastry. Keep some pasty to use as decoration – use your creative direction to make an elegant braided plate, leaves or a flower
Beat the egg and brush across pie to give the finish a golden colour.
Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees and place your pie on the lowest oven rack so it bakes evenly and avoids a soggy base.
Bake the pie for 40 – 45 minutes in the oven to ensure the base is crispy and the top is golden brown.
Watch the process unfold on the Pick n Pay Instagram account here.