ROASTED CRACKLING HOT WATER CRUST PASTRY HAND RAISED PORK PIE

BOILING LARD & WATER FOR HOT WATER CRUST

HOT WATER CRUST PASTRY

HAND DICED PORK SHOULDER, TWICE MINCED BELLY PORK & FINE DICED SWEETCURE BACON, OAK SMOKED

COOLED HOT WATER CRUST PASTRY BALL WITH WOODEN DOLLY

USING THE WOODEN DOLLY TO HAND RAISE THE PASTRY

PORK PIE FILLING MADE INTO A FIRM BALL AND THROWN INTO THE PASTRY

HAND RAISED PORK PIE, GLAZED AND READY TO BAKE FREE STANDING

FINISHED PORK PIE, DOUBLE GLAZED

HOT WATER CRUST PASTRY
100g lard
100g butter
200ml water
550g plain flour
2 eggs beaten
Salt and pepper

In a pan bring the water, butter and lard to a simmer.  In a large bowl whisk the flour with the salt and pepper, make a dip in the centre and add the beaten eggs and cut in with a knife, add the hot lard mixture and stir well and knead into a smooth ball.  Divide into tennis ball size and wrap in paper or cling film and leave in the fridge for 24hrs.

PORK PIE MIXTURE
250g belly pork minced
1 kg pork shoulder hand diced
250g sweetcure bacon
20 sage leaves
4 sprigs of thyme
1 tsp mace
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Big pinch of salt
Big pinch white pepper
Big pinch fresh ground black pepper

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well, leave covered to marinate for approx 2 hours.

To make the pies, I use a wooden dolly but a oiled jam jar will work just as well, (thats how I started, then my fabulous husband had a dolly made form me, from a log in our local woods).  Take a ball of chilled hot water crust pastry and place the dolly/jam jar in the centre and push down quite hard, as you want a medium thin base for the pie, hug the pastry and squeeze the pastry up the dolly/jar turning as you go, this will bring the pastry up to approx 4 inches high, make sure the thickness of the pastry is equal, it does'nt matter if the sides are not level as this is a hand raised rustic pie, made with love.

Remove the dolly/jar and make a tennis ball size of the pork pie mix and squeeze it in to a firm ball, throw the ball of meat in to the pie case, this is important as it expells air, egg wash the sides and place a lid on top of the meat just inside of the pastry.  Lightly press down and crimp the edges of the pie.  Egg wash the top and make two holes, one for jelly and one for air.

Bake for approx 40 minutes until the golden and the base is firm to the tap and golden in colour.  Leave to cool, meanwhile make the jelly.  (I don't like the jelly so I don't jelly my personal pies).

THE JELLY
1 pigs trotter
600ml water
Seasoning

Bring the trotter up to a rolling simmer and reduce the liquid by 2/3, leave to cool.  Season to taste.
Once the pork pie is cold, fill with the just warm jelly and chill to set int the fridge ready to eat.