Ingredients

•   chicken joints
•   bouquet garni
• 2 onions, peeled and sliced
• ½ pint water
• 4 oz button mushrooms, wiped and cut into quarters
• 1 small green pepper, seeds, core and white pith discarded, cut into ½ in. dice
• 1½ oz butter or margarine
• 1 oz plain flour
• ¼ pint chicken stock, reserved from cooking
• ½ pint milk
• 1 packet frozen puff pastry, just thawed
•   beaten egg, to glaze
•   salt and pepper

Method

1. Place chicken joints and bouquet garni in a saucepan. Peel and slice onions, add to saucepan with ½ pint water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes until chicken joints are tender.
2. Discard bouquet garni. Strain chicken stock, measure ¼ pint and reserve. Remove chicken meat from bones, cut into chunky pieces. Discard skin and bones. Reserve onion.
3. Wipe mushrooms and cut into quarters. Cut pepper into ½ in. dice, discarding seeds, core and white pith.
4. Melt fat in a saucepan, add mushrooms and pepper and fry lightly for 3 minutes. Sprinkle in flour, stir over low heat for 1 minute. Gradually blend in ¼ pint chicken stock and ½ pint milk. Bring to the boil stirring, simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Add chicken and onion to sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Divide mixture between four individual ovenproof dishes. Leave to cool.
6. Make the topping: roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface. Using a saucer as a guide, cut out four rounds slightly larger than tops of dishes. Roll out trimmings, cut strips to go round edges of each dish. Dampen edges and press strips in place.
7. Brush strips with beaten egg, press on pastry lids. Trim edges. Brush with beaten egg, make a small hole in the centre of each.
8. Place dishes on a baking sheet and cook in a hot oven (Mark 7 — 220°C — 425°F) for about 25 minutes until pastry is risen and golden brown. Serve hot with a spoon and fork.

Notes