This will have to do for the meantime. Substitute a third of the flour from the plain bread recipe with rye flour. Resist the temptation to add extra flour early on when kneading. Stick with it and it should soon be easier to work with.
Make the pastry, after it has rested, cut it in half. Lighty dust your worksurface with flour.
Roll out thinly, giving it a quarter turn and knocking into shape every few strokes.
Continue until the round is a little larger than your pie dish. Grease the dish with butter and line the dish with the pastry. Make sure it fits snugly, prick the bottom a few times.
Cut around the dish to tidy up. Roll out the other half as above.
Dice the onion, fry in the oil for 5 minutes. Cut the chicken into bitesize pieces, add to the pan, fry for 5 minutes. Add the mixed vegetables and sliced mushrooms. Lower the heat a little.
Make up a batch of thickish white sauce (22g flour & butter). Add the chicken mixture to this, some salt & pepper and stir. Pile this into the pie dish.
Brush a little milk or water around the edges and place the pastry lid on top. Cut around the edges again, press the sides with a fork, knock the edges up a bit too.
Make some pastry decorations with the excess if you like, using a little water or milk again to help it them stick. Brush with the egg, and cut a vent in the middle.
Cook in a preheated oven at 200ºC for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown - being mindful not to dry the pastry out.
Parts of this can be made in advance and then quickly assembled. I’ve used a gratin dish, as I don’t have anything for pies. Will try a stock cube in the sauce as it is a little bland.
Bread is quick and simple to make. What does take time, is the proofing especially during the winter here in Japan.
Mixing
Sift the flour, yeast and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine them. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm water.
Fold over the flour from the edges to form a dough.
Kneading
On a floured surface begin kneading. Using your fingers hold one end of the dough, stretch it with the palm of your other hand.
Fold the furthest end back over and give it a quarter turn. Keep stretching and turning, dusting flour as needed for ten minutes and no more.
Proofing
Place the dough into bowl and cover with a damp cloth or oiled cling film. Leave in a warm place for a couple of hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
A finger should leave an impression when it is ready.
Shaping
Punch down and knead for two or three minutes. Divide as needed, fashion in to plaits, rolls, rounds etc. Allow at least half an hour to rise again.
For loaves, make an oblong shape and tuck the ends underneath - about a third of the way. Place into floured or buttered tins. After rising, the tins should be three-quarters full.
Glazing
Milk, flour, butter, egg, olive oil.
Baking
Bake at 220ºC for 40 minutes or for two small loaves…
Bake at 220ºC for 20 minutes, reduce to 180ºC for a further 15 minutes.
Rolls take about 20 minutes at the same temperature.
Place the butter, sugar and honey into a saucepan. Over a low heat, melt the butter and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the oats and chopped walnuts and combine.
Pour over the butter and sugar and stir with a wooden spoon. When mixed and cool, continue with you hands. Shape into patties and transfer onto a lined baking tray.
Bake at 170ºC for 15-20 minutes
Can substitute the honey for another inverted sugar such as Golden syrup.
I found the mixture cooled too quick and made it difficult to shape. I broke the lumps up and added a little water.
Punch the dough down and knead for a few minutes, divide the dough if required.
On a floured surface, roll from the centre outwards, giving it a quarter turn reguarly. With floured hands, pat the round back a forth until you have the desired thickness.
Lay on a lightly floured baking tray. Spoon on the tomato sauce, to within a centimetre of the edge. Sprinke on an amount of cheese, and arrange any further toppings.
Bake at 200ºC for 15-20 minutes
The pictured pizza has a topping of ham, sweetcorn, mushroom, nori and parsley (I don’t have any Basil growing this time of year).
175 g plain flour
150 ml water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp easy-blend yeast
1/4 salt
Sift the flour into a large bowl. Mix in the yeast and salt. Make a well in the centre,
pour in premixed oil and warm water. Mix together until you have a soft dough, you may need to add more flour.
Knead for five minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl and roll around to coat the outside.
Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for an hour and a half to rise.
I tend to use the Nissin brand of flour here in Japan. Having prepared this a few times now, I shall use less water in the future.
The flour doesn’t seem to absorb the liquid and I end up using a lot more.
200 g plain flour
100 g butter
one beaten egg
2 tsp water
Sift the flour into a large bowl. Dice and soften (if needed) the butter, add to the flour. Rub together until the mixture forms fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre.
Tip in the egg. Fold over the edges of the mixture. Cut & fold to incorporate evenly. Add the water as needed. Roll into a ball with your hand. Cover and chill for half an hour.
More a kin to Pâte Brisée than traditional English shortcrust. Although free, I found Japanese lard to contain skin (not pure lard), which made rolling out very difficult.
Cold hands make good pastry. I had a disaster in the summer, it just to hot here. Don’t overwork the pastry, try to be quick.
adekun: I'll post a recipe sometime to show what's done with them here. Perhaps you can do the same? I know ...
weekendfarmer: You can eat the sweet potato leaves & vines. They are tasty!!! Make a fish stew with them. Good for ...adekun: Before I came over to live here, one of the big UK supermarket chains started to advertise odd shaped mushrooms, ...adekun: It was great to get a picture. There was always at least one trying to wander off. 
Susy: I like crazy shaped tomatoes, very beautiful. I get so sick of all homogenized veggies in the grocery store. ...