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1
Preheat your oven to 190u00b0C/375u00b0F/gas 5. You will need a deep baking dish roughly 26cm x 20cm, I use an enamelled dish as Jamie does, it conducts the heat perfectly.
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2
Put your lardons or ham in a large sauce pan (that has a lid) over a medium heat and add your thyme leaves. Add a glug of olive oil and the butter and let it all fry off a few minutes. Add all of your prepared leeks and fry them off for about 3 minutes so they are well-coated in the butter. Add a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper then pop the lid on, turn the heat down to low to medium and let them cook away gently for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes to make sure they don't catch.
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3
When your leeks are ready, add the turkey meat and stir. Add your stuffing mix now if you have any, then add the flour, mix it in well and then pour in your stock and stir again. Add the creme fraiche then turn the heat up and bring everything back up to the boil. Have a taste and add a bit more sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if it needs it, then turn the heat off.
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4
Pour the mixture through a sieve over another large empty pan and let the wonderful gravy from the mixture drip into the pan while you roll out your pastry.
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5
Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with a bit of flour and roll your pastry to the size of your dish.
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6
(Optional Chestnut and Sage Version. Roll the pastry out so it's about double the size of your dish, then crumble the chestnuts over one half of the pastry then tear a few of the sage leaves over the chestnuts. Fold the other half of pastry on top then roll it out carefully and evenly so you have a rectangle big enough to cover your baking tray. Don't worry if a few bits stick out here and there.).
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7
Spoon that thick leek and turkey mixture from your sieve into the pie dish and spread it out evenly. Lay your pastry on top, tuck the ends under then gently score the pastry diagonally with your knife. Add a pinch of salt to your beaten egg then paint this egg wash over the top of your pastry. Pop your pie in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown.
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8
When the pie is ready, re-heat the lovely gravy and serve with your pie, along with mashed potatoes and seasonal greens.
