TOULOUSE SAUSAGE AND QUAIL’S EGG PIES

Preparation 45 minutes, plus chilling Cooking about 40 minutes Makes 6 The crisp and light hot watercrust pastry that encases these mini sausage and egg pies isn’t complicated to make and is worth the effort – just make sure you keep it warm to stop it hardening.

6 quail’s eggs 450g Toulouse sausages 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley 85g lard, diced, plus extra for greasing 225g plain flour 1 egg, beaten, plus another for glazing

1 Bring a pan of water to the boil, lower in the eggs and cook for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into a bowl of cold water to stop them cooking further. When cool, peel and set aside. 2 Slit open the sausages and put the meat in a bowl, discarding the skins. Add the parsley, mix and bring into a ball. Chill. Brush six holes of a muffin tin with melted lard. 3 Put the flour in a bowl with ½ tsp salt. Roughly mix in the egg. Put the lard in a pan with 100ml water and bring to the boil, making sure the fat has melted beforehand. 4 Once the water is boiling, pour onto the flour and mix together with a cutlery knife. Knead until smooth. 5 Split the pastry into one-third and two-thirds. Divide the larger piece into six and roll each into a ball. While you are working, put the rest of the dough onto a large plate, cover with another plate and set on top of a bowl of hot water to keep it warm and pliable. 6 Put a ball of pastry into the base of a muffin hole. Using the tips of your fingers, press evenly up the sides until you have a cup shape 1cm higher than the rim. Repeat with the remaining pastry. 7 Divide the sausagemeat into 12. Put a piece into a pastry cup, leaving a slight hollow in the centre and pressing up the sides. Add a quail’s egg, then top with another piece of sausage, gently pressing to seal. Repeat with the remainder. 8 Divide the other one-third of pastry into six pieces. Roll each into a ball, then press out into a circle large enough to cover a pie – you’ll find it easier to do this with your fingers. Brush with water and top each pie, pressing the pastry into the insides of the cup shape rather than on top of the rim. Crimp the edges and cut a small hole in the centre for the steam to escape. Chill. 9 Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) gas mark 6. Brush the pie tops with egg and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the muffin tin and put onto a baking tray. Brush the sides with more egg and bake for 10 minutes until browned. Cool on a wire rack and eat within three days.