Turn our Gammon Cooked Ham Joint into a comforting family pie, packed with generous pieces of ham, buttery leeks and chestnut mushrooms. Our Mushroom Sauce and Christmas Chicken Stock create a rich, savoury filling, gently seasoned with garlic and thyme and finished with a crisp puff pastry lid. There is no pastry base to make—just spoon, cover and bake. Perfect for a relaxed Boxing Day supper or a cosy winter gathering.
Cut the cooked ham into approximately 2cm pieces, removing any rind, string or packaging. Cover and keep refrigerated while you prepare the sauce. There is no need to boil or roast the joint first.
Melt the butter in a large, wide saucepan over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and any liquid they release has mostly evaporated.
Add the leeks, reduce the heat slightly and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened. Stir in the Garlic Granules, Thyme and flour, and cook for 1 minute.
Gradually stir in the Chicken Stock, followed by the milk, scraping the bottom of the pan as you stir. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 4–5 minutes until thick enough to coat the vegetables. Stir in the Mushroom Sauce and Coarse Ground Pepper, then remove from the heat. Taste before adding salt, as the ham, stock and sauce already provide seasoning.
Transfer the sauce and vegetables to a shallow dish and cool promptly, stirring occasionally, until no longer warm. Allow approximately 20–30 minutes; standing the dish in a shallow basin of cold water can help. Keep the ham refrigerated until the sauce has cooled.
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Fold the cold ham into the cooled sauce and spoon into a shallow ovenproof pie dish approximately 28 × 20cm, with a capacity of around 2 litres. Spread evenly, leaving a little space below the rim.
Unroll the pastry and, if necessary, roll it slightly larger on a lightly floured surface so it covers the dish. Brush the dish’s rim with a little beaten egg, lay the pastry over the filling and press gently around the edges to seal. Trim any excess pastry and make two small slits in the centre to let steam escape. Brush the top lightly with beaten egg.
Place the pie dish on a baking tray and bake for 35–45 minutes until the pastry is well risen and deeply golden. Check that the filling is steaming hot throughout, not just bubbling around the edges. A clean food thermometer inserted into the centre should read at least 75°C for 30 seconds. Continue baking if necessary, covering the pastry loosely with foil if it is browning too quickly.
Shortly before the pie is ready, cook the peas according to the packet instructions and drain.
Leave the pie to stand for 5 minutes, then divide between six plates and serve with the peas. Spoon out generous portions of ham and vegetables, with a piece of crisp pastry over each serving.
