Mini Pork Pies, Very easy to make and delicious

puff pastry

🥗Healthier: whole wheat pastry

💰Cheaper: shortcrust pastry

Shortcrust is easier to make and less expensive.

pork shoulder

🥗Healthier: chicken thigh

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground pork is often more affordable.

gelatin

🥗Healthier: agar-agar

💰Cheaper: none

Agar-agar is a vegetarian alternative.

pork fat

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: butter

Butter provides richness at a lower cost.

Start by making the hot water crust pastry. Bring water to a simmer in a small pan.

Add salt to the flour and mix it in.

Add butter and lard to the hot water and stir until melted.

Make a well in the flour and add the hot liquid, mixing with a wooden spoon.

Use a bowl scraper to finish mixing and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Tip the dough onto the bench and fold it together until smooth, avoiding over-mixing.

Cut the pastry into two equal pieces, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least two hours.

If making the pastry the day before, take it out of the fridge an hour before using to soften.

For the filling, in a bowl, combine 500 grams of minced pork with 1 teaspoon of dried sage, 0.5 teaspoon of mace, 0.5 teaspoon of dried thyme, 0.5 teaspoon of salt, 0.25 teaspoon of ground white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.

Mix the filling thoroughly with your hands, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to about 3 mm thick.

Cut out circles of 12 cm (5 inches) in diameter for the bases and stack them up.

Cut out smaller circles of 6 cm (2.5 inches) in diameter for the lids using a cookie cutter.

Grease the muffin cups with lard, butter, or solid vegetable fat.

Line the muffin cups with the base pastry, pushing it down into the corners with a small piece of leftover pastry.

Fill each pastry base with the meat mixture, pressing it down to expel air.

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius (340 degrees Fahrenheit).

Make the egg wash by mixing an egg in a container.

Brush the egg wash around the lip of the pastry, avoiding getting it between the pastry and the tin.

Place the lid on each pie and crimp the edges together to seal.

Cut two vent holes in the middle of each pastry lid.

Brush the tops with egg wash again and ensure no egg wash is between the pastry and the tin.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens