Wales is one of the four Kingdoms (the others being England, Scotland and Ireland) that unified to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain. A country in it’s own right for many centuries it still retains it’s own culture and Language.

Leeks are the national emblem of Wales and a great Welsh dish to celebrate the vegetable is a Chicken, Leek, Prune and Caerphilly Cheese Pie. This pie recipe brings together the leek and delicious Welsh Caerphilly cheese with the addition of prunes for sweetness.

This is a great dish for St David’s Day on March 1st, but why save it for just one day?

It is excellent for any time of the year.

Cyw Iâr Glan Teifi

(Teifiside Chicken)

Ingredients :

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 chopped onion

3 cloves of garlic sliced

4 boned chicken thighs cubed

200 gm leeks sliced, white parts only

2 tbsp flour

150 ml dry white wine

1 pint chicken stock

200 ml double cream

2 tsp English mustard

I bunch chopped scallion (green onion)

Salt and black pepper to taste

100 gm prunes halved

150 gm Caerphilly cheese, crumbled

55 gm chopped flat leaf parsley

500 gm ready rolled puff pastry

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp double cream

Preparation :

Preheat oven to 180ºC / 350ºF

In a medium sized saucepan melt the butter and oil then fry the onions and garlic until they start to colour, about 10 minutes

Add the chicken and cook for a further 5 minutes until the chicken is sealed

Add the leeks and flour stirring continually until they are well combined

Add the wine and chicken stock slowly until the sauce has thickened

Add the cream and mustard and then season

Take off the heat and stir in the prunes, scallion, cheese and herbs

Place the pie filling into a medium sized pie dish

Mix the egg yolk and cream together and then brush around the pie dish.

Cover with pastry and cut around the sides with a knife.

Brush the remaining egg mix over the pie

Poke a couple of small holes in the pastry to let out the steam

Cook in the oven for 25 minutes, remove from the oven and serve.