We suggest you prepare a delicious British dish, Melton Mowbray Pork Pie (Leicestershire Pie).
Ingredients:
- 1 kg pork shoulder, cut into 6-8mm cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage or 2-3 leaves
- Pinch each of dry mustard and ground allspice
- Pork and veal bones (for stock)
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 or 3 sprigs of marjoram and thyme
- 250g lard (or less)
- 500g flour
- 2/3 cup milk mixed with half water
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Instructions:
- Prepare the meat: Combine the meat, salt, pepper, herbs, and spices. Set aside.
- Make the stock: Boil the bones, onion, bay leaf, herbs, salt, and pepper in 4 cups of water for two hours or until the liquid has reduced to 2.5 cups. Cool and refrigerate until it sets like a jelly (but not too thick to pour into the pie).
- Make the pastry: Rub 50g of lard into the flour mixed with a teaspoon of salt until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Boil the remaining lard with the milk and water.
- Make a well in the flour and, stirring with a wooden spoon, pour in the boiling liquid. Knead and leave for 10 minutes.
- Assemble the pie: Roll out three-quarters of the pastry into a circle slightly less than 2cm thick. Dust the inside of a pie dish with flour and place it in the center of the pastry. Drape the pastry over the dish and then carefully remove the dish, leaving you with a pastry case.
- Immediately fill the case with the meat mixture as it may collapse. Roll out the remaining pastry into a circle slightly larger than the diameter of the case to form the pie lid.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Moisten the edges of the pastry case and press the lid on. Crimp the edges. Make a hole in the center of the top and decorate with pastry leaves.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 150°C (300°F) and bake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil if necessary to prevent burning.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Pour the cooled stock into the hole in the top and refrigerate. Serve cold.
Your Melton Mowbray pork pie is ready! Enjoy!
Note: This is a traditional British dish, and the method of preparation may vary slightly depending on the region.