Pork pies are one of the traditional British hand - raised pies. Generally, pork pies are better known than Game Pies or Mutton Pies because they have become a commercial success and are in some cases mass produced. Bought Pork Pies have long featured at picnics and high tea.
Pork Pies are made with hot water pastry which involves boiling up the fat (usually lard) with water and adding this to the flour to form a dough. The dough is then "raised" or shaped around a mould or sometimes (probably more traditionally) no mould is used, wherein lies the skill.
Melton Mowbray Pies are not made with the help of a mould. The pastry case is then packed with chopped, highly seasoned pork and a lid is put on. After baking, stock is poured in through a hole in the lid. The stock sets around the meat to form the delicious "jelly" in the pie.
Originally pastry (or paste) was not intended to be eaten. It was merely a means of holding cooked meat. Gradually the art of pastry making emerged and today we tend to judge a Pork Pie or Cornish Pasty as much by the texture and taste of the pastry as by the filling.
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for pastry:
1lb plain flour
4oz lard
1/2 pint hot water
pinch salt
beaten egg for brushing
for filling:
2lb shoulder of pork, trimmed, boned and diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon gelatine
- Sift the flour and salt into a warmed bowl.
- Put the warm water into a saucepan with the lard and bring to the boil, stirring.
- When the lard is melted pour this into the flour.
- Mix quickly to a dough and then knead lightly until smooth.
- Divide the pastry into four bits.
- Shape each quarter around a floured jam jar (this will be the case of the pork pie), reserving enough pastry to make lids later on.
- Put jam jars with pastry around them in the fridge until set and firm.
- When firm remove the pastry from the jam jars and place the pastry shapes onto a well greased baking tray.
- Make the lids with the reserved pastry.
- Boil all the meat trimmings and bones in water until it is reduced to a very strong stock.
- Roll the meat in the seasonings and spice.
- Fill the pastry cases with the seasoned meat.
- Cover with the lids.
- Seal by dampening the edges with a little water and pinch into a traditional pork pie crimp.
- Brush the top with the beaten egg and make a hole for the steam to escape from in the middle of the lid.
- Bake at 220 degrees c for about 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 180 degrees c and cook for a further 1 3/4 - 2 hours.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Dissolve the gelatine in 1 tablespoon of very hot water.
- Add about 100ml stock to the gelatine and pour it into the pies through the holes in the lids so that it fills the pie to the top.
Sounds tasty - let me know if you try it.