This recipe is from Gordon Ramsay's book “Home Cooking”.What makes this pie unusual is that the filling is cooked separately from the dough, and it is served unmolded. This is also a feature - the dough is crispier because it doesn't get soggy from contact with the filling.
100mlcrème fraîche (I substituted 20 % fat sour cream)
200gpuff pastry (I used about 250g)
1egg yolk
1tsp. water
250gboiled chicken meat (e.g. leftover from boiling broth)
3-4tbspolive oil (or any neutral vegetable oil)
salt
black pepper
2pinches flour
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °FPeel the celery root and cut into plates, then into strips and small cubes. Transfer the cubes of celery root to a bowl.Add the leaves from the thyme stems to the celery.
Slice the pumpkin and pancetta into small cubes.
In a dry pan, brown the pancetta for 3-4 minutes, stirring with a spatula. Transfer to paper towels and remove excess fat from pan.
In a frying pan, heat olive oil (or any neutral vegetable oil), add chopped vegetables and thyme, salt and pepper. Roast for about 7 minutes, until soft.Pour in the sherry and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Return the pancetta to the skillet and pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the liquid has doubled in volume.Stir in the sour cream (mix it with 1-2 tbsp. of water beforehand) and cook for another 5 minutes, so that the sauce boils down to a third more. Taste it for salt, and add more salt if needed. Remove from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, dust a work surface with flour and roll out the dough to a thickness of a few millimeters. Use a plate to cut out 2-3 circles.
Transfer the dough circles to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Score the surface of the dough with the tip of a sharp knife, crosswise, in diamonds.Mix the egg yolk with 1 tsp. water and brush the dough with the egg mixture. Bake for about 10 minutes to allow the dough to rise and brown. Slightly open the oven door and bake for a couple more minutes, so the dough dries out and becomes crispy.Take out of the oven and cool.
Add the chicken to the pan with the vegetables and sauce and warm through. Arrange on plates, cover each portion with a pastry lid and serve.