Picnic mini pies

These individual-sized pies made with pulled pork and pickle are super easy to transport, making them ideal for al fresco dining.

MAKES 10 PREP 35 mins plus chilling COOK 2 hrs 10 mins

1 tbsp sunflower oil

500g pork shoulder, cut into pieces 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 3 large chunks 1 tbsp flour

500ml chicken stock

2 tsp mustard

1 tbsp mixed-vegetable pickle

8 pickled onions, quartered

8 cornichons, thinly sliced

500g shop-bought shortcrust pasty

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 Heat the oil in a large pan. Brown the pork in two batches, then return all the

meat to the pan along with the carrot, then add the flour and stir to coat the meat. Pour in the stock and stir in half the mustard, then cover with a lid, bring to a simmer and cook over a low heat for 1 hr 30 mins until the meat is tender and can be easily pulled apart with a fork. Leave to cool slightly.

2 Lift the meat and carrot out of the stock, then shred the pork and mash the carrot. Put the pork and carrot in a bowl and stir through the pickle, pickled onions, cornichons and the remaining mustard. Chill the mix in the fridge while you prepare the pastry.

3 Roll out the pastry to the thickness of a pound coin, then cut out 10 rounds about 11.5cm across and eight rounds of 8cm – you will need to gather together the pastry scraps and re-roll them. Press the large pastry disks into the holes of a muffin tin, then spoon in the pulled pork filling. Brush the edges with a little beaten egg and top with a lid, then crimp, pressing around the edge with the prongs of a fork. Finish by making a hole in the top and glaze with a little more egg. Chill for a further 10 mins.

4 Heat oven to 210C/190C fan/gas 6. Bake the pies for 35 mins until golden, leaving to cool a little before carefully lifting out of the tin. Eat at room temperature or chill in the fridge ready for a picnic.