Chicken Adobo Pie with Homemade Banana Catsup

Recipe created By Margaret Sevenjhazi

This Filipino dish was presented at Kulinarya Live for Filipino Food Movement USA

Growing up, my Filipino mum would whip up big batches of chicken adobo for dinner each week. This classic mix of chicken, soy sauce, vinegar and garlic makes for a punchy flavour that hits the spot between sweet, sour and salty. 100% comfort food. 

My recipe puts a new spin on that classic Filipino taste, by encasing it in a classic Aussie crust. In the US pies are predominantly sweet, but in Australia the humble meat pie is iconic. This dish is kinda like me! A mix of my Filipino and European heritage, with homemade banana catsup – the Filipino version of ketchup – a tropical innovation that stemmed from a WWII tomato shortage, and pairs surprisingly well with the pie.

If you have leftover adobo use it here, if not I’ve included a version of my mum’s fast weeknight adobo! Deliciously crispy pastry, filled with salty-sweet fall-apart chicken, finished with a fresh tang from the banana catsup. As an extra tip for your effort: Make a double batch of the chicken adobo and freeze half of it for more pies later or to chow down with rice. You’ll thank yourself later!

RECIPE

Makes 4-6 individual pies
Cooking time 30 mins (if you have leftover adobo), 1 hour from scratch

INGREDIENTS

Chicken adobo
1.5kg chicken thighs (skinless and boneless)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup coconut vinegar (or cane vinegar/white vinegar)
10 large cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly crushed
2 teaspoons black peppercorns, crushed
1 cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves, fresh or dried

Pie pastry
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon butter

Banana catsup (banana ketchup)
2 very ripe (almost black) bananas, mashed till smooth (approx. 1 cup) 
2 medium eschalots, finely diced (or 1 small brown onion, approx. ½ cup) 
1 tbsp vegetable oil (or other neutral oil) 
60ml cane vinegar (or white vinegar)
1 tbsp soy sauce 
1 tbsp palm or brown sugar 
1 tbsp garlic, finely grated 
1 tbsp, ginger finely grated 
1 tbsp fresh turmeric, finely grated (or 1 tsp ground turmeric) 
¼ tsp ground allspice 
½ tbsp tomato paste 

METHOD
Adobo 
You can just put leftover adobo in pies if you have it, if not here’s a version of my mum’s fast weeknight adobo!
1. To make the chicken adobo filling, heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add chicken thighs in batches, in a single layer and brown (4-5 mins). Once all chicken is browned transfer to a medium bowl. 
2. Heat the same pan on medium, add a bit of oil and toast garlic and pepper till fragrant. Add the chicken back in and the rest of the adobo ingredients, don’t stir, just put the lid on for the first 10 mins. If the chicken isn’t covered in liquid add ½ to 1 cup water.
2. Bring liquid to the boil on medium high heat, then turn down to medium low and simmer with the lid on for about 20 mins (or till chicken is cooked and juices run clear). Stir every once in a while and turn down if starting to boil.
3. Once chicken adobo is cooked take it off the heat and allow to cool, however if the sauce is too runny remove the chicken and allow sauce to thicken on medium high heat. Tear the chicken into bite sized pieces with two forks. Toss with the thickened adobo sauce ready to go into the pies

Homemade Banana Catsup (banana ketchup)
1. Heat oil in a medium non-stick pan on medium heat. Cook the eschalots until translucent. 
2. Add the ginger, garlic, turmeric and all spice. Cook till the spices are fragrant. 
3. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute, stirring well. Follow with vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and mashed banana. Simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring often until it starts to thicken. 
4. Add a bit of water as needed to reach desired consistency. It’s usually best between thick and runny. Taste and add extra seasoning to your liking. Take off the heat. If you want a smoother sauce, blend with a stick blender. To store, allow sauce to cool and transfer to an airtight container or sterelised jar. Refrigerate for up to 3 months+.  It can be kept longer, but use your own judgement.

Assembling the adobo pies
1. Preheat oven to 220°C and place a baking tray into the oven. Whisk egg and milk together for egg wash. Grease your pie pans of choice with butter (I used a medium muffin tin with 6 x 200ml capacity). 
2. For the pie bases cut 6 circles to fit your muffin tin from the shortcrust pastry and line the muffin tin with your pastry. Fill with cooled chicken adobo mix. Brush the top edges of the pastry with water. 
3. For the pie lids cut 6 circles from the puff pastry. Place over meat and press to seal the edges with a fork. Cut a small cross in the middle of each pie to allow steam to escape. Trim the edges to neaten and brush the tops with egg wash.
Place prepared pies onto a hot tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Serve with the banana catsup. Enjoy!

You can follow Margaret on instagram @mmmargey and for zero waste, fermentation and condiment recipes at @_Bottomfeeder.