Pork Pie – Crust Test Dummy

Pork Pie with Gooseberry Chutney. Could have done with more jelly in this one, but still delicious

Today is my sixth wedding anniversary. And what better way to celebrate with my vegetarian wife than by making pork pies. Once again, like many of the dishes you'll find on this humble blog, I'm entering virgin territory when it comes to making pork pies. Oh I've eaten pork pies by the sty-load and can think of nothing better than diving in to the thick crust and seeing my first hint of pink flesh and jelly (and yes, I am only too aware that food descriptions can sometimes have none-too-subtle sexual overtones, but the two have invariably gone hand in hand since caveman's first childish giggles while sucking on a woolly mammoth bone. And yes, I am only too aware that I might be pushing the boundaries somewhat by likening a pork pie to a lady's, er, lady bits. I apologise – especially to my wife. Happy anniversary, darling).

Anyway, back to the pork pie. The recipe I am using is Paul Hollywood's Pork Pie and Quail's Eggs as seen on BBC's Great British Bake Off – but without the eggs and with more pork. And a bit of special pork pie seasoning from www.sausagemaking.org. Other than these, the techniques used and ingredients are as instructed by Mr Hollywood. Makes 6.

Ingredients:
For the pastry:
200g plain flour
40g strong bread flour
50g unsalted butter
60g lard
1tsp salt
100ml boiling water
1 egg, beaten, to glaze

For the filling:
1 large onion
300g boneless pork loin
100g unsmoked bacon
small bunch parsley
salt and black pepper or 10g pork pie seasoning
1 x sheet 7g leaf gelatine

1 x 15cm and 1 x 20cm round cutter; six-hole muffin (snigger) tray

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas 5. Sift the flours into a mixing bowl. Add butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture forms fine crumbs. Make a well in the centre.
2. Melt lard in a pan and remove from heat. Dissolve salt in boiling water and add to lard, stirring to combine. Pour the hot mixture into the well in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon to form a dough.
3. When the dough is cool enough to handle, tip onto a lightly floured surface. Ok, you've got to work quickly now while the dough is still warm. Work into a ball to remove lumps for about 2 minutes.

4. Roll out the dough to 3mm thickness and cut six rounds each with the two cutters.
5. Line the muffin (oh, please) tray with the 20cm rounds, pressing them gently over the base and up the sides without stretching. Chill along with the lids while you make the filling.
6. Finely chop the onion, pork, bacon and parsley. I pulsed them in a Magimix so the meats were still slightly rough. Add seasoning. Fry a little in a pan and taste. Add more seasoning if required. Spoon mixture into pie cases.

7. Brush the edge of each pastry case with beaten egg. Place the lids on top and press edges together. Crimp with the back of a fork if required.
8. Use a piping nozzle to make a steam hole in each pie, then brush with egg. Bake in oven for 40 minutes, then remove pies from tin to cool. I placed my pies back in the oven on a baking tray for another five minutes to give the sides of the pies a bit more colour. Allow to cool.
9. Dissolve the stock cube in boiling water. Soak the gelatine sheet in a little water, gently squeeze out the excess water then whisk into hot stock. Pour a little of the stock mixture into the hole of each pie. Leave to cool overnight or in fridge for a couple of hours before serving with gooseberry chutney.