Pie Maker Chicken, Mushroom and Bacon Pies

Makes 8 pies

1 tablespoon olive oil
600g chicken thigh fillets, fat trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces 
150g smoked rindless bacon rashers, coarsely chopped
150g button mushrooms, thickly sliced
40g (1/4 cup) plain flour
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
185ml (3/4 cup) thickened cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 green shallots, trimmed, thinly sliced
4 sheets (25 x 25cm) frozen shortcrust pastry, just thawed
1 egg, whisked
Sesame seeds, to sprinkle

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add half the chicken. Cook, turning halfway, for 5 minutes or until golden. Use tongs to transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the bacon to the pan. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until light golden. Add the mushroom. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until the mushroom softens. Sprinkle with the flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Slowly add the stock to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until the mixture is smooth. Add the cream, chicken and thyme. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until mixture is thick. Season and stir through the shallot. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool.

Use the pie-maker cutter to cut 8 large and 8 small pastry rounds from the pastry sheets.

Gently ease 4 large pieces of pastry into the pie maker. Spoon chicken mixture into pie bases to fill. Top with the 4 smaller pieces of pastry. Brush with egg. Turn the pie maker on. Close and cook for 8 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cook for a further 2 minutes or until pies are golden.

Repeat with the remaining pastry, chicken mixture, egg and sesame seeds.

Note: You can substitute any vegetables for the mushrooms, if you wish. I use a mix of chopped carrot, frozen peas and cooked corn off the cob.