There’s nothing a homemade pie cant fix! We made this tamatiesmoor and chicken potjie pie extra special with a little bit of local inspiration.

SERVES 4–6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 45 min

INGREDIENTS
8 chicken pieces
2 onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red chilli, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1½ cups sliced mushrooms
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 thyme sprigs
½ cup white wine
2 tsp vegetable stock powder
½ cup water
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 roll puff pastry
1 egg, beaten

METHOD
1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Heat some oil in a ¾ size potjie over high heat and brown the chicken. Remove from the potjie and set aside.
3. Heat some more oil in the potjie and fry the onion, garlic and chilli for about 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to caramelise. Add the chicken.
4. Layer in the potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, and pour over the tinned tomatoes. Top with the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
5. Whisk together the wine, stock, water, sugar, salt and Worcestershire sauce. Pour evenly over the veggies and put the lid on the potjie.
6. Reduce the heat and simmer for 40–45 minutes. Remove the chicken and shred. Add back to the potjie and simmer for another 10 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 200°C.
8. Remove the potjie from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Drape the pastry over the potjie and trim the excess, leaving a 2 cm border all round. Press this into the pot to close tightly.
9. Brush the potjie pie with egg wash and make a hole in the middle for the steam to escape. Bake for 15 minutes, until the pastry is puffed up and golden. Serve hot.

Recipe: Dylan Norton
Styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

The festive season simply wouldn’t be the same without loads of braais and potjies! This beer and brisket potjie is something new and fun to try this summer.