Ingredients

• 300g/10½oz cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
• ½ lemon, zest only 
• 5 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
• small bunch fresh parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
• 4 heaped tbsp crème fraîche
• 500g/1lb 2oz block puff pastry
• 1 free-range egg, beaten lightly
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Put the chicken into a large bowl and add the lemon zest, thyme and parsley. Stir in enough crème fraîche to coat the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Cut the puff pastry block into three equal pieces and roll out each one into a rectangle approximately 33cm/13in x 13cm/5in. Cut each rectangle in half horizontally to make six equal-sized pieces of pastry.

3. Brush the rectangles around the edges with a little beaten egg. Place a heaped spoonful of the chicken filling to one side of the rectangle then fold over the remaining pastry to form a parcel. Press the edges together and seal by pressing the prongs of a fork along the three sealed edges. Make 3 small slits in the top.

4. Brush the whole parcel with a a little beaten egg and place on a large well-greased baking tray. Repeat with the remaining pieces of pastry. Put the baking tray in the fridge for about 20 minutes so the pasties firm up. 

5. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

6. Bake the pasties for approximately 20–30 minutes, until the pasties are risen and golden-brown all over.