Granny's Pie - Recipe

Whenever I go to Portugal my Granny always makes a very scrumptious cold meat pie. Unfortunately I don't go as often as I'd like so I asked her for the recipe so I could make it myself rather than having to wait years! And because I love you all I am sharing it with you too....

Ingredients

For the pastry (that's right I didn't cheat like normal!)

600g plain flour, plus extra for rolling etc.
260g chilled unsalted butter
140g vegetable fat
180ml iced water
Salt

For the filling

1 onion, minced
1 pack of pork mince
8 sausages - it doesn't matter what kind, be creative!
1 teaspoon lemon juice
20g fresh parsley
1 large egg
Breadcrumbs (from 1 slice of bread)
2 chicken breasts
4 rashers of bacon
Salt and Pepper

You will also need a 24cm springform cake tin (the one with the clip at the side), about 6cm deep.

Method to the Madness

First order of the pie is to make the pastry. Sieve the flour into a large bowl with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, then add the butter and vegetable fat. Rub this into the flour with your fingers - bit messy.

When it is a rough crumbly texture, gradually stir in the sufficient iced water until the mixture begins to come together.

Turn it out on to a floured board and push the pastry together with the heel of your hand.

Cut off just under a third of the mixture and reshape the 2 pieces you have into flattish disks (this doesnt need to be neat).Wrap them in clingfilm and pop them into fridge whilst you make the filling.

Heat a small pan, add oil and cook the onion until soft before setting aside to cool. Put the pork mince in a large bowl (I used the same one I did the pastry in to save on washing up!). Cut the sausages out of their skins and put the sausage meat in the same bowl. Add the onion, lemon juice, parsely, and season with salt and pepper, before mixing together with a wooden spoon. Add the breadcrumbs and half the beaten egg and set aside. Slice the chicken breasts and trim the fat off the bacon.

Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F or Gas Mark 4. Take the pastry out of the fridge, dust your work surface and roll out the larger piece into a circle 32.5-35cm. Grease your tin and carefully lower the pastry into it. Press the pastry against the edges of the tin, the edges should come up quite high in the tin as its meant to be a deep pie.

Put half of the sausage mixture in the base of the pie and press down firmly.

Lay the bacon over the sausage mixture and brush with a little of the beaten egg, then layer the chicken pieces on top before finishing with the remainder of the sausage mixture, pressing down firmly.

Dust the work surface with flour and roll the remaining pastry to a circle about 24cm in diameter. Brush the exposed edges with beaten egg and lay the pastry on top of the pie. Press the edges together until all that meat is sealed inside. Brush the top of the pie with  egg and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Put the pie in the over for 1 hour and 40 minutes before removing from the oven, wait a few minutes before carefully releasing the spring clip and removing the tin. Brush the sides with even more beaten egg, and return the pie to the oven for 10-15mins until the sides are golden too.

Leave your pie alone. Pop it in the fridge overnight and try to forget about it (yes I know its hard!) In the morning cut into that delicious meaty-ness and enjoy with salad and homemade chips. 

I am so proud of this pie, you have no idea! It's one of the best things I have ever made I think,and its so good!

C xxx