MY FAMOUS BACON AND EGG PIE
Ready in 1 hour Serves 6-8
3 sheets flaky puff pastry (or 450g flaky pastry, rolled very thinly)
4-5 cooked potatoes, thinly sliced (optional) 200g bacon rashers, diced
3 Tbsp soft herbs, such as parsley, basil, chives or spring onion tops, chopped
12 eggs
½ cup milk
1 tsp salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 180C fanbake. Place a baking tray in the oven to heat — the pie will sit on this, and the heat will help crisp the base. Dust the bench with a little flour. Join 2 sheets of pastry by pressing one end together firmly with a small overlap, then roll out thinly to fit into a 30cm x 20cm baking dish, covering the base and 3-4cm up the sides. If using potatoes, arrange them in a single layer over the base. Arrange bacon and herbs evenly on top. Break in 8 whole eggs and then run a knife through them to break up the yolks and spread them out in the dish evenly. In a mixing bowl, lightly whisk the remaining 4 eggs with milk, salt and pepper. Pour evenly over the eggs. Roll out the remaining sheet of pastry very thinly and cut into narrow strips. Arrange in a lattice pattern on top of the pie, trimming off any excess. Place prepared pie on top of the heated baking tray and bake until the top is golden and the pastry is cooked through on the base (40-45 minutes).
Annabel says: Here it is, the pie that breaks hearts and wins marriage proposals. There are a few simple tricks. Roll out the pastry as thinly as you can — this makes all the difference to the pie being light and crispy on the base. Whisking some of the eggs with milk to make a custard ensures the filling is tender. I always make a big pie, as the leftovers keep in the fridge for a few days and it reheats well, however, you can halve the recipe and use one sheet of pastry and a 20cm x 20cm tin. Serve warm or at room temperature with a side salad and pickles or chutney.