Making Sorted's Chicken & Chorizo Pie

I've been a big fan of Sorted ever since my second year at university.

Their inspiring, innovative and delicious recipes are always a sure-fire win with me, and I've made a few of their dishes over the last few years. My favourites include their Jambalaya (I really, really recommend you try it!) and Stroganoff, which I made for my whole house in my Third Year of university. I even interviewed them for my university student magazine, which went down a storm!  However, since I started following their work, they've gone from strength to strength and there are so many meals, desserts and treats I have yet to try. My 'to cook' list is growing quickly.

I'm not the most confident of cooks, but I find their recipes easy to follow and really inspiring - the think I love the most is that they focus on fresh ingredients - no ready-made sauces or packet mixes here! It's the perfect way to earn how to cook.

So, naturally, when I was looking for a meal to cook on Valentine's Day last month, I headed over to their website and trawled through their recipes, suppressing my own hunger and trying to find the perfect meal. Could I master Moroccan chicken? Singapore Noodles? Or perhaps a classic Beef Bourginon?

Then I saw it. It was simple, sounded delicious, and would test my skills a little. It also combined one of my favourite foods with my boyfriend's favourite ingredients - what could be better?

If I had to pick one last meal before I died, the likelihood would be that I would choose pie. Pie has always been one of my ultimate comfort foods, sweet or savoury. In a similar vein, my boyfriend can't resist a bit of chorizo, especially since our trip to Spain a  few years back... so when I saw the recipe for Chicken and Chorizo Puff Pasty Pie, I knew I had found The One.

This is the final result...but I want to share my experience of cooking my first ever savoury pie!

I just had to share this recipe with you all; I won't be posting it on here, as it's not mine and I want Sorted to get all the credit. You can find the recipe over on Sorted's website here.

I found the recipe really, really easy to follow. I got myself organised; chopping all the ingredients up so that all I had to do was follow the rest of the recipe with ease - something I recommend doing if, like me, you're a fan of getting organised and you're a novice chef!

I found all the ingredients easy to find, and loved the fact that I had left-over leeks and runner beans which I added to meals later in the week - it's a great way of changing routine.

The recipe, after my preparation, was all very straightforward, and I didn't have any mix-ups or problems. Since there were only two of us, I guessed the quantities to make a slightly smaller pie; this still left us with leftovers, however, which my housemates enjoyed immensely!

I also loved the fact that there was no shame in using pre-made pastry. Puff pastry is a pain to make and I've only just mastered simple pastry, so this shortcut made it even more simple and has reassured me that making a pie really isn't as scary as it seems. All you need is a filling, and a roll of pastry to place carefully over the top.

Pies allow for a little decoration too, so I loved making my pie relevant to Valentine's Day, adding little hearts and cute twists to provide the finishing touches. The key is in presentation, and as a perfectionist and a creative soul I like my food to at least look great, even if I'm not confident on the taste.

One thing I will say is be careful about where you put the pie in the oven. The pastry rose so much that it hit the next 'level' of the oven and I had to move it down - just leave plenty of space for it to rise and puff up!

Once it had cooked, the pie came out beautifully golden, soft and rich. The flavours went so well together, and I just couldn't get over how good it tasted! I would never have put leeks and runner beans with chorizo, but everything combined so well and it was incredibly moreish. I would have happily ordered it at a restaurant - but thanks to Sorted, I was able to make it on my own! My boyfriend loved it too, and I now plan to make it again for my family when I visit home over Easter. I may even put a twist on the ingredients, trying out different combinations. I am sure this would make a fantastic chicken and mushroom pie, or even turkey and bacon.

Let me know if you end up making this; I'd love to know how you got on. I cannot recommend this recipe enough! 

Jo

xxx