Garsington Players’ Pie

I have always been involved in amateur dramatics, and many years ago we used to go as a group to evening concerts in Oxfordshire, taking with us a selection of food and drink to share.

This lovely pie was always a favourite.

(Makes a pretty enormous pie, so you’ll need a large loose base or spring-form baking tin, lightly greased. Set oven temp to 200C or 180 fan, or Gas Mark 6)

I large Pk Jus-Rol shortcrust pastry, or two small ones.

3 oz pack sage ‘n onion stuffing, made up as directed

8 oz pork sausagemeat (decent quality)

Small/medium cooked chicken

1 eating apple, peeled, cored and grated

4 spring onions, chopped

1 level teaspoon mixed herbs

Pepper and salt

1 egg, beaten

Strip meat off chicken and chop roughly. Mix all ingredients together and bind with the egg.

Line the baking tin with ¾ of the pastry, and pack filling in tightly. Cover with the remaining pastry and brush with egg or milk.

Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes (1 hour for fan assisted oven). Make sure it doesn’t go too brown – if it looks as if it’s going to, then put a piece of foil loosely over the top.

Let it cool, then cut in big chunky wedges to serve. It’s best eaten cold. But freezes well. Fantastic!