FENNEL AND CHILLI GALA PIE

While this mighty pie takes a little time and patience to make, it’s easy to prepare ahead. It looks impressive from the outside, but wait until you slice it and reveal the eggs suspended inside!

SERVES 12 For the pastry:

✣ 450g (1lb) plain flour

✣ 150g (5oz) lard

✣ 50g (1¾oz) salted butter

✣ 1 egg, beaten, plus extra for glazing

For the filling:

✣ 5 eggs, at room temperature

✣ 300g (10oz) pork mince, preferably 12% fat

✣ 4 sausages, skins removed and discarded (approx 300g/10oz)

✣ 180g ham; we (6oz) used chopped Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients smoked ham batons

✣ 1 shallot, finely diced ✣ 3tbsp parsley, chopped ✣ 1tbsp fennel seeds ✣ 1tsp chilli flakes ✣ ½tsp paprika You will need: ✣ 24x8cm (9½x3in) loaf tin, greased and lined with baking parchment above tin edges ✣ Digital food thermometer

1

For the pastry, put the flour into a large bowl. Melt the lard and butter in a pan, pour in 170ml (6fl oz) water and bring to a rolling boil. Pour into the flour and stir until smooth. Add in the egg and mix. Wrap the pastry in cling film, then leave to cool to room temperature.

2

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Heat a pan of water and boil the eggs for 8 mins. Drain and run under cold water; peel.

3

Combine the other filling ingredients and season.

4

Roll two-thirds of the pastry out and line the tin. Press the pastry into the sides. leaving an overhang.

5

Fill to a third of the depth with meat filling. Place the eggs on top. Add the remaining filling around and on top.

6

Brush the pastry overhang with beaten egg. Roll the remaining pastry to a rectangle just larger than the tin. Lay over and trim the edges, leaving a 2cm (¾in) rim. Crimp to secure. Poke 3 small holes in the top to release steam. Use the excess pastry to create decorations. Brush with beaten egg and bake for 20 mins.

7

Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/ Gas 4, brush again with egg and bake for a further 30-40 mins, until the pastry is golden and the filling is cooked through. It should read 66C on a digital thermometer. Cool fully before slicing. >>