NICE AS PIE PAGES 58-62

Rye puff pastry

MAKES 830G 70g unsalted butter, chilled 180g/ml chilled water 2tsp white vinegar 135G RYE flOUR 205G PLAIN flOUR 10G fiNE SALT 250G BLOCK UNSALTED BUTTER, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, FOR laminating

Take the 70g butter out of the fridge, cut into 1cm cubes and leave to soften slightly for 10 minutes. Combine the water and vinegar in a jug. Put the flours, salt and butter cubes in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to break the butter into the flour until shards of butter the size of rolled oats are still visible. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the vinegar mixture and mix until the dough just comes together, being careful not to overwork it.

Flatten the dough into a rectangle around 1cm thick. Wrap and rest in the fridge for 2 hours, or overnight.

Meanwhile, prepare the butter for laminating. Place the block between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll into a rectangle approx. 18 × 20 cm. Put in the fridge, still in the baking paper, for 2 hours, or overnight.

Remove the dough and rolled-out butter from the fridge around 30 minutes before you laminate the pastry – it should be malleable but not too soft.

To laminate the pastry, lightly dust your worktop with flour and lay the dough rectangle with one short side parallel with the edge of the worktop. Roll the dough away from you to form a rectangle measuring 20 × 40cm, still with the short side closest to you.

Put the rolled-out butter block in the middle of the dough, with the 20cm side of the butter parallel with the worktop.

Fold both free short sides of the dough over the top of the butter so they meet in the middle, encasing the butter. Lightly pinch the ends together to seal (the seam should run parallel with the worktop).

Rotate the dough block 90 degrees so the seam is now perpendicular to the worktop. Using your rolling pin, gently press or stamp along the length of the dough to make it more malleable. Roll the dough away from you to form a 20 × 40cm rectangle, again with one short side parallel with the worktop. Starting from the side closest to you, fold the bottom third of the dough into the middle, then the top third over the top of that, as if folding a letter. Transfer to the fridge for 20 minutes.

Put the dough on the worktop with the open seam on your right-hand side and perpendicular to the edge of the worktop. Roll the dough away from you to form a 20 × 40cm rectangle. Fold the bottom third of the dough into the middle, then the top third over the top of that, as if folding a letter. Repeat this step until you have completed four single (or letter) folds in total. Put the pastry in the fridge for 1 hour after every two folds to keep the butter from getting too soft. If you have kept the pastry in the fridge for more than 1 hour, allow to stand for 10–15 minutes before continuing.

Once all four folds are done, wrap your pastry and rest it in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight. It will keep for 3–4 days in the fridge, or up to 1 month in the freezer.

WHolEmEAl spElt flAky shortcrust pastry

MAKES 700G 225g unsalted butter, chilled 250G WHOLEMEAL SPELT flOUR 100G PLAIN flOUR 1TSP fiNE SALT 140g/ml chilled water

Cut the butter into 1cm cubes and chill in the freezer for a couple of minutes. Put the flours and salt in a mound on your kitchen worktop and scatter the chilled butter over the top. Use a rolling pin to roll the butter into the flour, gathering the flour back into the middle as you go with a spatula. Keep rolling until the mixture is crumbly with shards of butter the size of rolled oats still visible.

Make a well in the middle and add the chilled water. Use a dough scraper or knife to gently cut the flour into the water, gathering up any leaks as you do, until you have an even, crumbly texture. Use your fingertips to gently push it all together into a rough, slightly sticky dough. If it feels dry, add more water, 1tbsp at a time, until there are no floury bits left.

Roll out or press the dough into a rectangle 2–3cm thick. Fold one-third of the dough into the middle, then the other third over the top of that, as if folding a letter. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll it out again into a rectangle 2–3 cm thick, then repeat the letter fold.

Rotate and roll out once more into a rectangle 2–3cm thick and do one last fold. Wrap and put in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight. The pastry will keep for 4–5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. RyE flAky sHortCrust pAstry

Use the recipe above, replacing wholemeal spelt flour with 180g rye flour and increasing the quantity of plain flour to 170g.

Lard shortcrust pastry

MAKES 1.3KG 700G PLAIN flOUR 1TSP fiNE SALT 175g unsalted butter, chilled AND CUT INTO 1 CM CUBES 175g lard, chilled and cut INTO 1CM CUBES 27g/ml chilled water

Put the flour and salt in a mound on your kitchen worktop and scatter the chilled butter and lard cubes over the top. Use a rolling pin to roll the fats into the flour, gathering the flour back into the middle as you go with a spatula. Keep rolling until the mixture has a crumbly texture, with shards of butter the size of rolled oats still visible.

Make a well in the middle and add the chilled water. Continue using spatula to fold the flour over the water and gently work it in with your hands, working from the outside in, until the dough just comes together. The dough should be firm and not sticky to the touch.

Roll out or press the dough into a rectangle 2–3cm thick. Fold one-third of the dough into the middle, then the other third over the top of that, as if folding a letter. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll it out again into a rectangle 2–3 cm thick, then repeat the letter fold.

Fold the dough over itself a few times to create rough layers. Shape it into a flat block, then wrap and put it in the fridge to rest for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, before using. The pastry will keep for 3–4 days in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer. Egg wash 1 MEDIUM EGG PLUS 1 YOLK 1TBSP WHOLE MILK

Whisk the ingredients together with a pinch of salt, and brush where indicated in recipes.

Gran’s traditional Cornish pasty tarts

MAKES 2, EACH SERVING 4–6 1 x quantity lard shortcrust pastry (see recipe, left) 400g onions 280g swedes 280g potatoes 800g beef skirt or chuck steak 20G SEA SALT flAKES 1tsp white pepper egg wash (see left)

Put the pastry on a lightly floured kitchen worktop and divide it into two equal pieces. Roll out into two rectangles roughly measuring 30 × 60cm. Roll one 2mm thick (for the bases) and the other 3mm thick (for the tops), then cut two 30cm discs from each.

Put the pastry tops on a tray, followed by the bases, layering a piece of baking paper between each one. Put in the fridge to rest for 20 minutes.

Grease two 26cm round,

5cm deep pie dishes. Gently lay the pastry bases over the dishes, then use your thumb to firmly press the pastry into the corners. Rest again in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Peel and chop the onions, swedes and potatoes into randomly shaped pieces, roughly 1.5–2cm in size. Cut the beef into 1cm dice.

Combine the vegetables and beef in a large bowl. Add the salt and white pepper and mix well. Divide the mixture between the 2 pie dishes, lightly brush the rims with egg wash, then lay the pastry tops over the filling so the edges meet.

Press the edges together to seal, pushing out any air. Crimp or pinch around the edge with your thumb and forefinger, using both hands. Brush all over the top with egg wash, then use a knife to poke a couple of holes in the top to allow the steam to vent while baking. Return the tarts to the fridge to rest.

Preheat the oven to 210C/ 190C F/Gas 6. (If you only want to bake 1 tart, the other will keep in the fridge for 2–3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.) Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180C/160C F/Gas 4). Bake for a further 60–70 minutes, turning halfway through, until the pastry turns a lovely golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Mushroom, rye and preserved lemon pithiviers

SERVES 4 1 x quantity rye puff pastry (see recipe, left) 40g unsalted butter 2tbsp olive oil 2 medium onions, roughly chopped 2 GARLIC CLOVES, fiNELY CHOPPED 1TBSP fiNELY CHOPPED THYME 1TBSP fiNELY CHOPPED ROSEMARY 450g mixed mushrooms, chopped into 2cm pieces juice ½ lemon 100g Italian hard cheese, coarsely grated 20g preserved lemon rind, fiNELY CHOPPED ½TSP fiNE SALT ¼tsp freshly ground black pepper egg wash (see left)

Put the pastry on a lightly floured kitchen worktop and roll it out into a rectangle measuring 30 × 65cm and 3mm thick. Working along the length of the pastry, cut out four 13cm diameter discs for the base, and four 15cm diameter discs for the tops. Lay the pastry between two sheets of baking paper and transfer to the fridge for 20 minutes, or until you are ready to assemble the pithiviers.

Melt 20g of the butter with 1tbsp of the olive oil in a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and herbs and cook with the lid on, stirring occasionally, for around10 minutes or until soft and translucent.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 20g butter and 1tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the mushrooms for 4–5 minutes,

(in batches if necessary), until they start to turn golden. Add a squeeze of lemon juice as you finish cooking each batch, then transfer to a colander set over a bowl to drain and cool.

Combine the mushrooms, onion mixture, cheese, preserved lemon, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Check the seasoning, then set aside for 1 hour or overnight.

To assemble, divide the mushroom mixture into 4 equal portions. Cup your hands over the mushroom mixture to form a tight ball, repeating for each portion. Put them on a tray and chill in the fridge while you get your pastry ready.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Lay the larger pastry discs on a floured worktop and mark the centre of each with a tiny vent hole. Using a pastry cutter or small plate as a template, very lightly score curved lines in the disc, starting from the centre to the edge of the pastry, moving the template around until you have filled the disc.

Lay the smaller pastry discs on the worktop and place one portion of mushroom filling in the middle of each (it will reduce during baking). Lightly brush around the pastry edges with egg wash, then lay the large discs over the filling.

Carefully push the pastry lid down and around the mushrooms, cupping your hands around the filling to seal and straighten it, edging out any air as you go. The edge of the top disc should sit flush with the edge of the bottom disc; carefully ease the top layer out with your fingers if needed. Pinch the edges together with your finger and thumb to seal and crimp the edges.

Transfer to the prepared tray, lightly brush the tops with egg wash and refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 210C/190C F/Gas 6. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 200C/180C F/Gas 6 and turn the tray. Bake for a further 20 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Habanero and mango hot sauce

MAKES 500ML 400g habanero chillies, stalks REMOVED, fiNELY CHOPPED approx. 7g (1.75 per cent of chilli weight after chopping) flAKY SEA SALT approx. 100g (25 per cent of CHILLI WEIGHT) MANGO flESH 1 garlic clove 1½tbsp apple cider vinegar

Weigh the chopped chillies to calculate and check the amount of salt you need. Mix the salt through the chilli. Calculate 25 per cent of the chilli weight to give you the accurate weight for your mango. Chop the mango and garlic, then mix through the chilli.

Transfer the mixture into a large jar with enough space for the chilli mixture to expand as it ferments. Leave to ferment for at least 7 days, giving it a good stir once a day. By day 4, you should start to see bubbles. By day 7 or 8, you should see bubbles throughout the chilli and on top. At this point, sterilise 2 x 250ml jars.

Add the vinegar to the chilli ferment, then transfer to a food processor and blitz until you have a smooth purée. Pour the sauce into the sterilised jars and seal.

Put the jars in a saucepan of boiling water (the water should come up to just below the lids), then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

This stops the fermentation and makes the sauce shelf-stable.

Store the unopened jars in the pantry for up to 2 years. Refrigerate after opening and use within 6 months. The flavour will improve over time but you may need to give it a shake before using.

Tomato and anchovy spelt galettes

MAKES 6

For the caramelised onions (Makes 2 x 250ml jars) 50G UNSALTED BUTTER 2TBSP OLIVE OIL 1KG ONIONS, THINLY SLICED 2 GARLIC CLOVES, THINLY SLICED 1 bay leaf 5G SEA SALT flAKES 1TSP FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER 1TBSP CHOPPED THYME

To make the caramelised onions, melt the butter and olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper and cook with the lid on, stirring occasionally, for 10–12 minutes to soften the onion and release the juices.

Remove the lid and reduce the heat to medium–low.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 45 minutes until the mixture is dried out and appears thick and glossy.

Stir in the thyme. You’ll have more caramelised onions than you need for the recipe, so decant what you don’t use into sterilised jars, seal and keep to eat with cheese and cold meats. Put the pastry on a lightly floured worktop and divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a disc 3mm thick and 16cm in diameter and lightly score a circle 2cm in from the edge. Cover and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Put the chilled discs on sheets of baking paper, then spoon around 50g caramelised onion on to each galette base and spread it out to meet the 2cm margin. Divide the anchovy fillets among the galettes, then top with the tomatoes, olives and herbs.

Fold the margin of pastry in towards the centre, over the edge of the filling, then crimp the pastry edges together to contain the filling. Lightly brush the exposed pastry border with egg wash. Put the galettes back in the fridge, still on their baking paper.

Preheat the oven to 210C/ 190C F/Gas 6 and put two baking trays in to heat up. Slide the galettes on their baking paper on to the hot trays. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven to 200C/180C F/Gas 6 and turn and swap the trays. Bake for a further 18–20 minutes until the pastry edges are deep golden brown.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes, then use a vegetable peeler to shave a little cheese over each galette, if using, and garnish with herbs, if using, before serving.

Steak and Stilton pasties

MAKES 8

Combine the vegetables, beef and thyme in a large bowl.

Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Put the pastry on a lightly floured worktop and cut it into 8 equal pieces, then roll each piece into a 20–22cm diameter, 4mm thick disc.

Add the salt and pepper to the beef mixture and mix thoroughly. Divide the filling between the pastry discs, placing it on the top half and leaving a 2cm border around the top edge for crimping. Crumble 40g of the blue cheese over the filling of each pasty.

Lightly brush the pastry border at the top with egg wash, then fold the bottom half of the pastry over the filling so that it meets the pastry on the other side. Push out any air pockets and cup your hands over the top to bring it all together tightly. Crimp the edges together with your thumb and forefinger to form a rope-like seam along the side of the pasty. Patch any holes with a little dampened rolledout pastry. As you finish each

pasty, transfer it to one of the prepared trays, leaving a 5cm gap between each one.

Lightly brush the top of the pasties with egg wash, then cut a slit in the tops to allow the steam to vent while baking. Put in the fridge to cool, or freeze some to bake another day.

Preheat the oven to 210C/ 190C F/Gas 6. Bake the pasties for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180C/160C F/Gas 4. Bake for a further 50 minutes, turning and swapping the trays halfway through, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. The filling will be very hot, so allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Pear and black pudding breakfast galettes

MAKES 6 1 X QUANTITY RYE flAKY SHORTCRUST PASTRY (SEE RECIPE, P120) ½ BUNCH CURLY KALE 1TBSP OLIVE OIL 2TSP APPLE CIDER VINEGAR 3 MEDIUM PEARS 2 BLACK PUDDINGS (APPROX. 400G) EGG WASH (SEE P120) 1TBSP FENNEL SEEDS (OPTIONAL) 6 MEDIUM EGGS, AT ROOM temperature SPLASH LEMON JUICE

Put the pastry on a lightly floured worktop and divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 19-20cm diameter, 3mm thick disc and lightly score a circle 3cm in from the edge. Cover and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to a day before.

Preheat the oven to 130C/ 110C F/Gas 1. To make the kale chips (this can be done up to 1 day before), trim the kale and cut the hard stems out of the leaves, keeping as many leaves whole as possible. Toss the leaves in a bowl with the olive oil and vinegar to coat, rubbing the dressing into each leaf. Lay the kale on a baking tray and bake for 12 minutes, then turn the leaves over and bake for a further 6–8 minutes until crispy. Set aside to cool.

When ready to make the galettes, slice the pears into slivers about 5mm thick and remove the pips. Slice the black pudding into discs about 3mm thick.

Remove the pastry discs from the fridge and place on sheets of baking paper. Lay the pear slices over each in a circle that meets the border you marked on the pastry. You want the pear to fill the crust of the galette once it’s folded over, leaving a hole in the middle to crack the egg into later. Arrange the black pudding in a circle over the top of the pear, again meeting the border and leaving a well in the middle.

Fold the margin of pastry in towards the centre, over the edge of the filling, and then crimp the pastry edges together. Lightly brush the exposed pastry border with egg wash and sprinkle with fennel seeds, if using.

Return the galettes to the fridge. Turn the oven up to 210C/190C F/Gas 6 and put two baking trays in to heat up. Slide the galettes on their baking paper on to the hot trays. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven to 200C/180C F/Gas 6 and turn and swap the trays. Bake for a further 15 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked and just starting to become golden.

Take the trays out of the oven (or slide out your oven shelf) and break one egg into the middle of each galette. Be careful not to break the yolk or spill the white over the edges. Return to the oven for a further 6–8 minutes or until the eggs are just set, with a slight wobble indicating runny yolks. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes.

Put the galettes on to six serving plates. Drizzle over a little lemon juice, scatter over the kale chips and season to taste with salt and pepper.