Traditional Pork Pie

Ingredients

Dough:

145g plain flour
2g salt
60g lard
40ml water
Beaten egg, to glaze

Filling:

205g minced pork
15g minced bacon
2g salt
1.5g white pepper
12g breadcrumbs (optional)

Jelly:

1 pig's trotter
5 litres water
15g gelatin

Method

1. To make pastry, sieve flour and salt into bowl and rub in 30 gms of lard.

2. Heat the remaining lard and water together in a saucepan until boiling and add to flour, mixing until cool enough to knead. Knead well. Set aside 1/5th of the pastry for a lid, roll into a ball and leave in fridge overnight.

3. For the filling, mix together pork, bacon, water and seasoning. If too wet, add breadcrumbs. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

4. To make the jelly, bring to the boil and simmer pigs trotter in a saucepan filled with water for 3-4 hours. Allow water to evaporate to around 500ml, topping up with water if necessary. After 4 hours, strain liquid and measure out 500ml. Dissolve gelatin into stock.

5. To construct pie case, remove dough from fridge and let sit for 2-3 hours. Gently squeeze pastry in your hands so it becomes mouldable and form into a flattened ball. Take a jam jar and push into the centre of the pastry and shape sides up into a rounded pie shape.

6. Place the ball of minced pork into the pastry base and ensure no air remains in the body. Dampen the inside rim of case with egg. Roll out reserved pastry and cut a circular lid out. Place on top of the pie case.

7. Seal pie by pinching lid and wall sides together. Ensure lid is securely sealed to pastry case, otherwise sides will collapse during baking.

8. Crimp the top of the pie right around the edge to create a decorative finish.

9. Brush top of pie with egg and make a small hole in the lid centre. Place on baking tray and bake in oven at 220 degrees celsius for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

Photo Credits: Tasha Seccombe