Chicken wellington

Method

• step 1

  For the stuffing, heat the oil in a small frying pan over a medium-low heat and fry the onions until softened but not golden. Stir in the thyme, sage and apple, and cook for a few minutes to remove some of the moisture from the apple. Tip into a bowl, leave to cool for a few minutes, then stir in the remaining ingredients to combine. Set aside.

• step 2

  Lay one chicken breast between two sheets of baking parchment and bash using a rolling pin or heavy pan until it is about ½cm thick. Repeat with the other breast.

• step 3

  Lay a roughly 30 x 30cm piece of baking parchment on your work surface and put the two pieces of chicken on top, overlapping them slightly to make one piece. Top with the prosciutto so it completely covers the chicken.

• step 4

  Gently spread the stuffing over the prosciutto so it reaches the edges. Roll the chicken up tightly from one of the longer sides (using the parchment to help, but keeping it on the outside), encasing the fillings in a spiral. Wrap the chicken roulade in foil and twist the ends to seal. Put in the freezer for 30 mins.

• step 5

  Cut the block of pastry in half, then, on a floured surface, roll out one half to the thickness of a 50p coin. Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Unwrap the chicken roulade and put it on top of the pastry then trim the pastry into a rectangle, leaving a 2-3cm border all the way around the base of the roulade. (Save the offcuts for decorating the top.)

• step 6

  Roll out the second sheet of pastry in the same way. Brush a little of the beaten egg over the exposed pastry edge around the roulade. Lay the second pastry rectangle over it, pressing it tightly around the meat and pushing out any air pockets as you do. Trim the excess, leaving a border of about 2cm.

• step 7

  Crimp the border using your thumb and forefingers, or the blade of a cutlery knife, pressing it around the edge to seal (flour the knife if it starts to stick). Brush more of the beaten egg all over the wellington. If you like, stamp out decorations from the pastry offcuts using biscuit cutters (or cut out using a knife), then fix these to the wellington using some of the beaten egg. Alternatively, simply score the top using a sharp knife. Cover and chill for at least 1 hr, or for up to 48 hrs. At this stage, you can freeze the wellington for up to two months. Defrost completely in the fridge before baking. When you’re ready to cook, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

• step 8

  If you have any beaten egg left, brush a little more over the wellington just before baking. Bake for 50 mins-1 hr until golden and crisp, and a probe thermometer reads 70C when inserted.