As a child I lived in a 2 bedroom house with my parents and older sister. This house was situated in an older suburb and was down a long driveway, and backed onto a reserve that had band practices and marching girls. I think I was about 4-5 years old. My parents moved away to a bigger city and only returned to buy their home when they were near retiring age. Many years later after my Dad passed away , I was visiting my mum and suggested we have a drive passed the old home. I found the street, and the church I used to go to Sunday School at, and the big impressive Catholic Church where as a naughty child I ran into with two of my friends and blessed myself with the holy water. I have since asked forgiveness for that act.!! I decided to drive up the drive and take a look at the house, and much to my surprise, the house was up on blocks ready for removal. On hearing the car approach, a Young man asked what he could do to help us. I explained about living there as a child, I was then in my 40's, and he asked my mum if she would like to go inside to have one last look. So we did and I could remember where the sideboard used to stand and the small black wall clock in the hall. It was a great time for my mum to see the house, and they were removing it to make way for a set of units to be built on the site. It was of course so much smaller to me than I remembered it to be . Then on the last election day, 2008, I was working in a polling booth near the airport, doing special votes , and this woman approached from my old town and when I looked at her address I realized she lived in one of the units that was built 15yrs ago on the very section I once lived. I told her this and she then told her husband. What a very small world we live in, because on election day there were 3 other people this couple could have gone to do have their special vote. So here is my mums chicken pie.
RITAS CHICKEN PIE.
1 unstuffed chicken {its easier} skin off, bones out, shredded into edible pieces.
WHITE SAUCE.
1 packet of white sauce
or make one
2 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons butter
milk to mix 1/2 teaspoon mustard mild
1/2 cup cheese 1 FINELY CHOPPED ONION.
TO MAKE A ROUX SAUCE.
melt butter gently in a pot, I cook 1 finely chopped onion in the butter until it is transparent. Then remove the onion and add the flour gently mixing until its a paste. Cook for 1 minute, then gently add milk to make a pouring consistency, add cheese and stir again, Put aside.
TOPPING.
2-3 cups fresh breadcrumbs, I use grain bread nicer texture. Rosemary or oregano
2-3 tablespoons melted butter approx.
Mix breadcrumbs with the butter till its a consistency of stuffing. This is the pie topping.
Add chicken and onion to the cheese sauce and place in a pie dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and dot with 6-8 nobs of butter. Brown top under the grill, watching all the time as this can catch and burn. Serve with mashed potato or kumera mash and peas.
