Chicken, fig and lemon pies

Cover figs in hot water to soak for 30 minutes. Remove fat from chicken thighs and cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Trim leeks both ends, cut in half down the length, wash well, then slice. Rinse preserved lemon rind, discarding pulp. Chop rind.

Drain figs and cut into quarters. Put leeks and figs in a medium frying pan with 1½ tablespoon oil and white wine. Cook gently for 10 minutes.

Once the mixture has softened and lost bulk, lower heat and cook gently for another 5 minutes, until tender. Stir in nutmeg, ginger, lemon rind and ¼ teaspoon salt. Transfer to a plate, scraping out all the juices. Wipe out the pan.

Add 2 tablespoon oil to pan and set pan over a medium-high heat. Put flour in a bag with ground coriander seeds and ¾ teaspoon salt. Shake to mix, then add chicken and shake again until chicken is coated in seasoned flour. Add to pan and cook until golden; the chicken doesn’t need to be cooked right through at this point.

Add stock and bubble up and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in leeks and figs, scraping in all the juices, and add lemon juice. Cool.

Roll out slightly less than half the pastry very thinly and cut into 4 large rounds. Fold rounds of pastry in half then half again and lay them inside small and deep individual spring-form pie or cake tins. Straighten up pastry and press it against sides of tins, letting it come above the rims of the tins if possible. Chill. Roll out remaining pastry and cut out 4 rounds. Chill.

Preheat oven to 200°C (fan-forced). Have a baking sheet heating in the middle of the oven. Remove lined tins from fridge and brush rims of pastry with a little water. Fill with chicken and fig mixture, flop rounds of pastry on top and gently press pastry edges together. It needn’t be neat – keep it rustic! Make a hole in the centre of each pie, then brush with egg wash.

Transfer pies to heated baking tray. Bake for about 20 minutes, until a good golden-brown, then lower heat to 150°C and continue baking for a further 10-15 minutes until pastry is cooked through.

Cool for 10 minutes before unmoulding and serving.