there is something about the pork pie.. Something that is just a treat.. Sure we have recollections of some horrors .. Yet I think the thoughts of the good ones far outweigh the negatives.. I have never made pork pies, I don’t know why., I just never have.. So with Mrs Fitz in full on cleaning mode, I decide its best to retire to the kitchen and read up about pork pie making.. 

The google gods are great at providing info yet who to trust? First port of call has to be Delia right? It is.. Yet like many of the other ‘heavyweights’ it’s complicated.. And uses muffin tins and stuff.. I am not looking for that.. I am looking for something that you know is indeed PIE.. I think there is done kinda conspiracy going in where everyone has decided to make it appear to be really complex and complicated.. Surely not.. No way Jose .. 

So what to do? 

Well starting with the meat.  I scored a bunch of red ticket good belly pork.. (Look out for pork recipes over the next few!).. Hand cranked up.. 

It takes a while .. Until I end up post workout.. With this.. 
 

Cool beanz.. 

That’s lots of porky delights ahead! 

The mix for the pork pies is the bigger portion .. And I mix it up with traditional Cumberland type of affair along with a great shake of white pepper.. You have to have that peppery bite.. And white pepper is best placed for that!

Onto the pastry.. I finally find a simple enough recipe., thanks #theguardian .. 

And it calls for about what I have to hand.. 

The flour is a mix of wholemeal bread flour and plain/ap flour.. Butter and lard rubbed into it till it goes kinda like crumbs.. The remaining lard heated til just a bit melty with a couple of teaspoons of fine salt.. Then kettle hot water added to the lard.. Do be careful here! That’s water meets hot fat!!
All poured over the mixed up flours.. And brought into a ball.. 

  
This takes some figuring out.. Yet I sort of get there.. No jam jars or muffin tins etc.. Just hand raised.. 

They get brushed with beaten burford egg wash, and into the preheated oven for about forty minutes.. 

Now I need the jelly.. Love it or hate it it has to be present.. And I decide on using pork broth cube with a little water (about 250ml) and four teaspoons of powdered gelatine ..
 

Happy with that .. The pies are cooked.. And I have to get that jelly into em quick.. Stabbing them up a bit more helps.. 

 The jelly poured in.. Yup I got some leaks.. And the pies cooled.. Lucky the snow has stopped yet it’s perfect for cooling down the pies!

I am pretty happy with these., 

To eat with them we go simple.. Boiled eggs marinated in ketjap manis.. Sourdough toasts rubbed with French garlic and baby tomatoes, so olive oil also.  And some excellent harlequin potatoes.wonderful spuds these.. And rough crushed with some organic wild rocket, butter, maldon salt and Bristol blend pepper they are quite delicious I must say.. ! Especially with a dollop of horseradish., 

 
A piece of excellent country ham and a squirt of balsamic glaze completes the plate.. 

That pork pie is the star though for sure.. They are getting made again I tell ta! Need to work on the leakage.. That jelly is awesome! 
  
  

Categories: Dinners/Suppers, Pigs, previous posts, Recipes

Tags: #porkpie, hotwater pastry recipe, how to make pork pies, pork pie myths, pork pies from scratch