California Prune & Pork Pie
Makes: 8Prep Time: 2 hours plus overnight cooling timeCook Time: 2 hours
INGREDIENTS
- For the pastry:
- 110g lard
- 280g water
- 500g plain flour
- 2 tsp salt
- For the filling:
- 100g California Prunes, finely chopped
- 200g pork belly, minced
- 125g streaky bacon, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs thyme leaves, finely chopped
- pinch mace
- 1/2tsp salt
- pinch pepper
- 4 sheets gelatine
- 1 chicken stock cube, made up to 1 lt
- 1 egg, beaten
DIRECTIONS
- Make the pastry by placing the lard and water together in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
- Sieve the flour into a large bowl with the salt.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the lard and water mixture. Using a wooden spoon, mix thoroughly to form a dough.
- Once combined knead gently on a floured surface until smooth. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge whilst making the filling.
- Chop the pork loin and bacon, mince the pork belly and combine all ingredients.
- Remove the pastry once it has been in the fridge for approx 20 mins. Take off about 1/3 for the pie lid.
- Wrap this back in cling film and roll out the pastry on a floured surface until it is large enough to fit an 18cm pie tin (should be approx 2mm thick). Leave a slight overhang around the edges. No need to line the tin.
- Once you have lined the pie dish (making sure there are no holes) fill it up to the top with the pork & California Prune filling.
- Roll out the remaining pastry into a circle for the lid – place this on the pie and crimp together the edges.
- Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg and using a knife make a hole in the middle of the top.
- Bake in the oven at 170°C for 2 hours.
- Dissolve the gelatine leaves in 1 pint of boiling water – along with the chicken stock cube.
- Once the pie is out of the oven pour the stock mixture into the pie via the hole on the lid.
- Allow to cool completely before placing in the fridge overnight.