You'll need to put in some extra effort for this recipe, but the payoff will be great. This meaty picnic pie makes a mean, hearty meal
Ingreadient
- 500g block all-butter shortcrust pastry
- 5 eggs, at room temperature
- 200g thick-cut bacon, rind and fat removed and chopped
- 6 herb pork sausages, skins removed
- 400g lean pork mince
- 2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and crushed
- chopped to make 1 tbsp parsley
- chopped to make 1 tbsp tarragon
- 1 egg, beaten to glaze
- 200g all-butter puff pastry
Direction
- Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Butter a 900g non-stick loaf tin. Cut a strip of baking paper the same width as the tin and line it, leaving the edges overhanging.
- Roll out the shortcrust pastry to the thickness of a pound coin.
- Use the pastry to line the tin. Carefully push it into the corners and mould it to fit the shape of the tin. Leaving a bit of pastry overhanging. Cook the eggs in boiling water for 7 minutes. Put in iced water to cool completely then peel off the shells.
- Put the bacon, sausages, mince, fennel and herbs in a bowl with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix well using clean hands. Put half the mince mix in the bottom of the tin.
- Using your fingers, make a dip in the middle of the mince mixture that’s big enough to fit the eggs.
- Cut the ends off all the eggs so you can line them up neatly end to end.
- Cover the eggs with the rest of the mince mix, making sure it fits snugly around the eggs. Level the top.
- Brush the edges of the shortcrust pastry with some of the beaten egg.
- Roll out the puff pastry to 20p coin thickness and drape it over the top of the tin, pushing down gently so it sticks to the shortcrust.
- Carefully trim the edges with a pair of kitchen scissors.
- Crimp the edges with your fingers.
- Lightly score the top and glaze with the rest of the egg. Make a hole, put on a baking tray and bake for 1 hour. Cool in the tin then chill overnight. Turn out and cut into thick slices.
