Chicken, Cheese and Broccoli Pastry Parcel

 

This is a great recipe to use up leftovers.  If you have a bit of leftover roast chicken and broccoli from your Sunday roast with a bit of puff pastry and some grated cheese you have a meal or lunch that is easily prepared and even frozen ready for later.

 

This recipe makes 2 parcels so if you don't have a big family freeze one for a quick weeknight dinner later.

 

Now this can be quite rich and one parcel will easily feed three or 4 with salad or 2 for a lunch.

 

 

Martha Stewart tip of the day. 

 

You know when you use baking paper and it flicks over into what ever your cooking when you put your pan in the oven? 

 

Well use a bulldog clip, yes a humble bulldog clip from the stationary supply store.  They clip nicely over the edge hold your paper down and don't melt!

 

 

2 cups cooked cubed chicken

2 cups cooked chopped broccoli

2 cups grated tasty cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 sheets thawed puff pastry

 

 

In a bowl place your filling ingredients.

 

Mix through the mayonnaise and set aside.

 

Place thawed pastry on a sheet of baking paper.  You will leave the finished product on the baking paper for cooking or wrap the parcel in the baking paper to freeze.

 

I used a ruler for this and tried (not very successfully) to cut even strips.  Divide the pastry in 3 equal parts I used the ruler to make a dented straight line for the thirds.  Along the outer thirds cut equal strips from the dented lines out.  I cut the corner slices off for ease of folding.

 

Put half the filling along the centre third.

 

Fold the end flap over the filling then starting on one side fold one piece of pastry over the end flap at an angle, fold the opposing piece of pastry from the other side so that they cross over.  Continue down the parcel.  Make sure the end flap is folded up before the last side flaps.  At this stage you can fold it up in the paper and freeze it or put it in the fridge for later.  It is better cooked from chilled as you get a nice crisp pastry.

 

Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake in pre heated 200C oven for 20 to 30 mins.  Keep an eye on it after 20 to make sure it doesn't burn.

 

Slice and serve.