Preparation time
30 mins to 1 hour
Cooking time
1 to 2 hours
Serves
8
A traditional pie made with hot water pastry, as used in pork pies, plenty of tender lamb, herbs and sweet leeks.
Ingredients
- For the hot water crust pastry
- 450g/1lb plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- 200ml/7fl oz water
- 75g/3oz butter, chopped
- 75g/3oz lard, chopped
- For the filling
- 25g/1oz butter
- 1kg/2lb 2oz leeks, thinly sliced
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only
- 450g/1lb boneless leg of lamb, cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- To serve
- new potatoes, cooked
- chantenay carrots, cooked
Preparation method
- Preheat the oven to 225C/440F/Gas 8.
- Place a heavy baking tray into the oven to preheat.
- Mix the flour, salt and icing sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the egg into it. Scoop a liberal amount of flour over to cover the egg.
- Place the water, butter and lard into a saucepan over a low heat and bring slowly to the boil.
- Gradually pour the boiling liquid into the flour mixture, stirring with a knife constantly to combine, then knead on a clean, floured surface until the egg is completely combined and the pastry is smooth. (NB: use the pastry immediately to make your pie because when the pastry cools it will harden and become unmanageable.)
- Cut off one third of the pastry and set this aside for the lid. Roll out the remaining pastry into a flat round shape large enough to line the base and sides of a 25cm/10in loose-bottomed cake tin, allowing an overhang of pastry of about 2cm/1in.
- Roll out the pastry set aside for the lid to fit the top of the pie and set aside.
- For the filling, heat a frying pan until hot, then add the butter, leeks and thyme and gently fry for 5-8 minutes, or until the leeks are tender. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
- Place the lamb into a food processor along with the parsley and mint leaves and pulse to chop finely. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Spread the lamb mixture into the pastry case in a thick layer and then spread the leeks over the top.
- Brush the edges of the pastry with a little beaten egg. Place the pastry lid on top of the filling and pinch and crimp the edges of the case and lid together to seal.
- Trim away any excess pastry from the pie with a sharp knife and use the pastry trimmings to make decorative leaves for the top of the pie.
- Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg and make a hole in the centre to allow the steam to escape. Arrange the pastry leaves on top and brush these with the beaten egg.
- Place in the oven to cook for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180C/355F/Gas 4 and continue to bake for one hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes before serving.
- To serve, cut out a wedge of pie and place onto a plate accompanied by buttered new potatoes and chantenay carrots.
Required techniques