Handraised Pork Pie Recipes

RAISED PORK PIE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients for the filling.
• To make the pastry, put the flour in a large bowl, then put the lard and water into a small pan and heat gently until the lard melts. Bring just to the boil and then stir into the flour using a wooden spoon. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, (it should still feel very warm) knead well until smooth.
• Cut off 1/4 of the dough, wrap in cling film and reserve for the lid. Roll out the remaining dough to a circle and then place in the base of a non-stick 20cm springform cake tin. Working quickly while the dough is warm and pliable, press the dough evenly over the base and up the sides of the tin. Make sure there are no holes. Fill with the meat mixture and pack down well. Roll out the dough for the lid. Place on top of the pie. Pinch all around the edge to seal the pie. Make a hole for steam in the centre, using the handle of a wooden spoon.
• Cook in the oven for 30 mins then reduce the heat to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and cook for 90 minutes. Brush the top with beaten egg and return to the oven for a further 20 mins. Leave until cold.
• Soak the gelatine in cold water for about 5 mins, then remove and squeeze out the excess water. Heat the stock until almost boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatine. Leave to cool to room temperature.
• Use a small funnel to pour the stock into the pie through the hole in the top. Pour in a little at a time allowing a few seconds before each addition. Place in the fridge to set overnight.Watch our pork pie video for techniques and tips.

HANDRAISED PORK PIE

Steps:

• Cover pork bones with water. Add parsley, sprig of thyme and black peppercorns and cook for 1 hour. Strain. Reduce to 1/4 cup. Add cider and gelatin and allow to cool.;
• Make hot water paste: Boil lard with water. Heat flour and salt in a bowl in the oven. Add lard and water to flour and mix until dough leaves sides of bowl. Knead dough and when smooth, and while still hot, roll into a loaf shape Cut off 1/4 of the paste (for the lid) and place in a bowl over hot water to keep warm. Up-end a 2 pound jam jar and dust with flour. Lightly dust dough with flour. Place dough onto jar and mold it carefully around the jar until approximately 1/4-inch thick. Cut a cross in the top. Clip* a piece of double folded paper around the paste and then up-end jar and pour hot water into the jar. The paste will slide off easily. Place the mold onto a greased baking sheet. Do not remove the paper. *Use a bulledog clip. Finely chop the onion and apple. Cut pork into 1/4-inch dice and season highly with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Fill the pastry mold with layers of port, onion and apple ending with a layer of pork, do not pack tightly. Trim paper away 1/2 inch below rim of pastry to fit top. Dampen edge of pastry with water and affix lid crimping edges together. Gild with egg and bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Thirty minutes before the end of cooking, remove paper band and brush sides with egg. Remove pie from oven and using a small funnel pour in the slightly warmed stock. Place in the refrigerator. Serve the pie cold with a little hot mustard on the side. Recommended drink: A pint of English wallop;

PAUL'S HAND-RAISED PIES

Steps:

• To make the pastry, put both the flours in a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Put the lard, boiling water and salt into a small pan and heat until the lard has melted, then pour onto the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together into a dough. Tip the warm dough onto a lightly floured worktop and gently work until it forms a smooth ball. Divide it in half. Set aside one- quarter of each portion for the lids and keep covered with clingfilm until needed. Form the rest of one portion of dough into a ball, then flatten slightly. Set a dolly on top of the flattened disc. Using your hands, mould the still warm dough around the dolly. Try to make sure the dough is the same thickness on the sides, that the dough on the base is not too thick and that there are no holes. Repeat with the other portion of dough. Set the moulded pie cases on the lined baking sheet and chill for about 20 minutes or until really firm. Roll out the 2 saved portions of dough to make discs 13cm across, or to fit the size of the pies you've moulded. Make a hole in the centre of each lid, then chill them for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, keeping the chicken and bacon strips separate, season them with salt, plenty of pepper and the thyme. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Take the pie cases out of the fridge and very carefully coax the hard pastry off each dolly in one piece. If the pie cases soften in handling, return them to the fridge for about 10 minutes until really firm again. Trim the top of the pie cases so the sides are of even height all around and not too tall (Paul trimmed his pies so that they were 10cm tall). Now layer up the filling: start with bacon, then add chicken and then a layer of apricots, and repeat - the filling should be well packed in. Set a top on each pie and crimp the lid and the rim of the pastry case together with your thumb and forefinger to seal thoroughly. Set the pies on the unlined baking sheet and brush the tops with beaten egg to glaze. Bake for 50-60 minutes until the pastry is crisp and a good golden brown all over. Dissolve the chicken stock cube in 150ml of hot water. Soak the leaves of gelatine in a small bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes until soft, then squeeze out the excess water. Whisk the gelatine into the hot but not boiling stock until melted. Remove the cooked pies from the oven, set them on a wire rack and leave to cool. While the pies are still hot, carefully pour the stock into each pie through the hole in the pie lid to fill up any cavities (this must be done while the pies are hot, otherwise the jelly will sit on the top of the filling only). Leave to cool completely, then cover and chill in the fridge overnight so the stock has time to set to a firm jelly.