Small Pork Pies (4 x 100mm Tins)

For the hot water crust pastry

675g plain flour

150g lard
3 tsp salt
250 ml boiling water
80 ml milk

For the filling

800g pork shoulder coarsely minced

Pork belly (4 thick slices) coarsely minced
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp ground black pepper
 
For the jelly
 

5 small sheets of leaf gelatine

Chicken stock cube
300ml boiling water
 
Preparation method

First make the pork filling. Coarsely mince pork into a bowl, add, salt and peppe and mix well. To check the seasoning of the mix, fry a tiny bit of the mixture in a frying pan until cooked through. Leave to cool, then taste and adjust your mixture accordingly. Cover and set aside (Leave in fridge for 24 hrs if possible) while you make the pastry. You do not need to use the sugar

For the hot water crust, put the flour and salt into a bowl. Heat the lard in a pan with the milk and water until melted. Pour this liquid into the flour. Mix with a spoon then, as soon as it is cool enough, tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work together into a ball. Be careful that the dough is not too hot when you start to work it. Once the dough ball is formed, leave it to cool slightly but ensure it is covered. Divide the dough in five pieces making one piece slightly bigger than the other for the lids.

Working as quickly as you can, roll out one of the small pieces of dough to about the size of a side plate with about a 3mm thickness; it should be glossy and still warm to touch. Pick up the circle and place over a jar that fits inside one of the tins. Place into tin holding the tin sideways. Remove jar gently and shape to fit the sides ensuring there are no holes.

 

Make certain there are no holes or tears. This is crucial, as the jelly will leak out. Spoon the pork filling into the lined cake tin and press it down. It should come almost to the top of the pastry.

The pastry should come slightly above the rim of each mould. Roll out the other 3 pieces of dough and line the other tins. Keep the lined tins under a sheet of clingfilm.

Fill cases with pork mixture

 

Cut the remaining pastry into 4 pieces and roll out to circles to fit the top of tins.

Brush the edges of the pastry above the meat with beaten egg. Lower the lid into place and press tightly to seal with the edges. Poke a small hole in the lid with the round handle of a wooded spoon to let out the steam and put the tins on a hot baking sheet. Brush with the beaten egg on top and bake for 25 minutes at 170C, then lower the heat to 160C/gas mark 3 and bake for 60 minutes until the pastry is pale gold. It is better to slightly overcook. You must ensure the meat is cooked through properly.

Allow pies to cool and then soften the gelatine in cold water to cover for 5 minutes or so. In a jug, dissolve the chicken stock cube in the boiling water. Drain the gelatine and squeeze to remove excess liquid, then add to the stock and stir until completely dissolved

Enlarge the holes in the top if necessary, then carefully pour in a little of the gelatine mixture. Leave the pies to cool and settle overnight before serving. Or, once cold, chill for a couple of hours.

Oat Flour Pastry Quiche

Oat Flour Pastry Quiche

This flour can be bought from Amazon and health food shops but better to grind it yourself if you can. It is just regular porridge oats that you grind and if possible find a small oat variety. I have a grain mill which I can attach to my Kenwood mixer. I have heard you can use a liquidiser, processor or a coffee grinder but a grain mill obviously will produce more workable flour. Coarse ground flour may not amalgamate into pastry as well as the finer ground.

Equipment

• 10 inch quiche pan (preferably metal to avoid a soggy base)

Pastry

• 250g /10oz Oat flour
• 125g /5 oz butter
• 1 egg beaten

Method

Sieve flour coarsely to remove any hard pieces left over from grinding. Rub in butter but unlike flour it will not form fine breadcrumbs (Do not over rub-in. )

Add beaten egg and mix together with a round bladed knife. No water is added.

Note: vegans could use water here and omit the egg.

The mixture can be wet but turn onto a floured board and knead till it comes together. Add extra flour here as needed.

Roll out gently using a well floured pin and surface

 

Gently place into tin. It will probably break if this is not done quickly and gently but don’t worry, just blend all the pieces together till a leak proof shell is obtained.

 

 

 

Rest in fridge for 20 mins

Filling

• 200g/ 8oz Extra mature Cheddar
• 150g / 6oz Cooked Ham or Bacon
• 4 eggs
• 120ml / ¼ pt Full cream milk
• Salt and Pepper

Method

 

• Beat eggs and milk together in a bowl with salt and pepper. Cut cheese into roughly 1cm pieces and then roughly chop over with a knife to give a nice crumb.
• Add cheese to bacon or ham and stir together. Add to pastry case. Trim the pastry case level if needed and add the egg and milk mixture.
• Bake for 30-40 mins at 170C (fan) 190C non fan oven. If needed rotate quiche after 20 minutes to ensure even browning.

Tip:

• Do not overcook. Remove when top is firmly set but still has some spring.
• Quiche pan should preferably be of metal to avoid an overly wet pastry base
• For a vegetarian alternative add in preferred amounts leeks, mushrooms, red bell peppers, broccoli, artichoke or fennel. Can be eaten hot or cold but if serving cold allow it to come to room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
• Addendum: The pastry produced above cooks well and is very short. Its texture is somewhat grainy but it is delicious and sweetened I could not see why it wouldn’t produce excellent dessert recipes or biscuits.