Serves 1-6 (Makes 1 large pie or 4-6 saucer pies)

Ingredients

30g butter
1 large red onion, finely chopped
3 cox’s apples, washed (with the skin left on), quartered, cored and each quarter cut in half
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
25g plain flour
200ml cider or apple juice
300ml milk
3 tbsp double cream
Freshly ground black pepper
2 x 135g pre-packed honey smoked ham, torn into large strips
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 x 375g puff or shortcrust pastry
1 egg, beaten
1 large, shallow pie dish approximately 23cm diameter

For the pea and parsley sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 chopped onion
175g frozen petit pois
200ml vegetable stock
Splash of white wine
5 tbsp flat leaf parsely, roughly chopped

Method

1. Heat the butter in a shallow pan. Add the onion and cook gently over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
 
2. Stir in the apples, bay and thyme and cook for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle over the flour, stir and cook for 1 minute.
 
3. Splash in the cider and pour in the milk. Bring up to the boil and simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring continuously, until thickened. Add the cream and season to taste with black pepper.
 
4. Stir in the strips of ham and mustard. Pour into a large, shallow pie or ovenproof dish and set aside to cool slightly.
 
5. Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
 
6. On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the pastry slightly larger than the pie dish. Lightly wet the rim of the pie dish with a little water. Lay over the pastry and trim to fit the pie dish. Brush well with beaten egg.
 
7. With a small, sharp knife cut a cross in the centre of the pie, place on a baking tray and cook for 25-30 minutes or until pastry is golden and puffed. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and pea and parsley sauce.

To make the pea and parsley sauce:

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the chopped onion and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes until softened. Add 175g frozen petit pois and 200ml vegetable stock and a splash of white wine. Season well, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in 5 tbsp of roughly chopped flat leaf parsley and cook for 1 minute.

2. Place all the ingredients in a blender and carefully whiz until smooth. Season to taste.
 

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