Summer Pie with Courgettes and Chicken

Summer pie with courgettes and chicken is a savoury baked pie for six portions that suits a summer lunch, dinner or a table with other baked dishes. Summer pie with courgettes and chicken has a tender pastry made with curd cheese, butter and flour, and a soft filling layered with cooked chicken and thin slices of courgette. Summer pie with courgettes and chicken is described as very tasty, and tarragon should not be neglected because tarragon complements the rather neutral flavour of the chicken and courgette filling very well.

The pastry works because flour, chilled butter and curd cheese are chopped into fine crumbs and then quickly brought together with egg. The filling works because boiled chicken thigh gives the pie body, courgette keeps the filling light, and sour cream mixed with eggs forms the soft binding layer between the ingredients. Tarragon works by giving the filling a brighter and more distinctive note, while garlic and suluguni cheese add savoury depth without changing the character of the pie.

The key point while making the pastry is to keep the mixture crumbly and not let the butter melt into a smooth mass. The dough for summer pie with courgettes and chicken should be mixed quickly, shaped into a ball and chilled for 2 hours, because the chilled dough is easier to roll out or press into the tin. The key point while baking summer pie with courgettes and chicken is to build the filling in layers of chicken, then courgette, then sour cream mixture, and repeat in the same order.

The pie is ready after about 45 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C, with the grated suluguni added 10 minutes before the end. The top of summer pie with courgettes and chicken should look baked and lightly golden, while the filling should hold together rather than look raw or watery. Thinly sliced courgettes help the filling cook evenly in the time given, and chopped cooked chicken spreads more neatly through the layers.

The sensible swaps mentioned in the recipe are about method rather than changing the character of the pie. Cooked chicken for summer pie with courgettes and chicken can be boiled специально for the recipe, or you can use poultry left over after making broth. The dough for summer pie with courgettes and chicken can be rolled out and transferred to a greased tin, or the dough can be pressed into the tin by hand and chilled directly in the tin, which is even more convenient.

Serve summer pie with courgettes and chicken warm, when the cheese has melted into the top and the layers are still soft and aromatic. Summer pie with courgettes and chicken also works as part of a baking spread, especially for anyone looking for a savoury pie with vegetables and poultry. Keep the dough for summer pie with courgettes and chicken in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking if you want to prepare ahead, because the recipe notes that the dough handles a day in the refrigerator without trouble.

Questions about this recipe

Can I make the dough for the pie in advance?

Yes, the dough for summer pie with courgettes and chicken can be made in advance. The recipe notes that the dough keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking.

Can I use leftover cooked chicken for this pie?

Yes, summer pie with courgettes and chicken can be made with poultry left over after making broth. Leftover cooked chicken follows the recipe well and saves time in preparation.

How do I know the pastry mixture is right before chilling?

The pastry mixture for summer pie with courgettes and chicken should look like fine crumbs before the egg is added. The butter should not melt or turn the mixture into a smooth mass.

Do I really need tarragon in the filling?

Yes, the recipe strongly recommends using tarragon in summer pie with courgettes and chicken. Tarragon is said to complement the fairly neutral flavour of the chicken and courgette filling very well.

How should I line the tin with the dough?

You can either roll out the dough and transfer it to a greased tin, or press the dough into the tin with your hands. Pressing the dough directly into the tin is described as even more convenient.