6 Christmas Savory Pies
I know this is not a special diet, but I wanted to squeeze it in somewhere.
Christmas pie
PREP: 30 MINS COOK: 1 HR, 15 MINS plus cooling MORE EFFORT CUTS INTO 10-12 SLICES
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
knob butter
1 onion, finely chopped
500g sausagemeat or skinned sausages
grated zest of 1 lemon
100g fresh white breadcrumbs
85g ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped
50g chestnut, canned or vacuum-packed, chopped
2 tsp chopped fresh or 1tsp dried thyme
100g cranberries, fresh or frozen
500g boneless, skinless chicken breasts
500g pack ready-made shortcrust pastry
beaten egg, to glaze
Method
Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Heat 1 tbsp oil and the butter in a frying pan, then add the onion and fry for 5 mins until softened. Cool slightly. Tip the sausagemeat, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, apricots, chestnuts and thyme into a bowl. Add the onion and cranberries, and mix everything together with your hands, adding plenty of pepper and a little salt.
Cut each chicken breast into three fillets lengthwise and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan, and fry the chicken fillets quickly until browned, about 6-8 mins.
Roll out two-thirds of the pastry to line a 20-23cm springform or deep loose-based tart tin. Press in half the sausage mix and spread to level. Then add the chicken pieces in one layer and cover with the rest of the sausage. Press down lightly.
Roll out the remaining pastry. Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg and cover with the pastry lid. Pinch the edges to seal, then trim. Brush the top of the pie with egg, then roll out the trimmings to make holly leaf shapes and berries. Decorate the pie and brush again with egg.
Set the tin on a baking sheet and bake for 50-60 mins, then cool in the tin for 15 mins. Remove and leave to cool completely. Serve with a winter salad and pickles.
Cranberry-topped raised pie
PREP: 1 HR COOK: 2 HRS, 20 MINS plus resting and at least 3 hrs chilling
A CHALLENGE SERVES 12 - 15
This raised pork, chicken and bacon pie, topped with festive fruit, makes for a magnificent centrepiece for a Christmas or Boxing Day buffet
For the filling
500g boneless pork shoulder, skin removed, chopped into 2cm/¾ in pieces (ask your butcher for 300g/11oz pork bones if you want to make your own stock – see tip)
250g pork belly, skin removed, chopped into 2cm/¾ in pieces
650g chicken drumsticks and thighs, skin and bones removed, chopped into 2cm/¾ in pieces – you should have about 375g/13oz (save the bones to make stock, if you like – see right)
100g smoked streaky bacon, cut into small pieces
½ tsp ground mace
2 pinches of ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 fresh bay leaf, very finely chopped
4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
4 sage leaves, finely chopped
For the hot water pastry
140g lard, chopped into small pieces
550g plain flour
1 egg , beaten, to glaze
For the jellied stock
300ml good-quality chicken stock
2 gelatine leaves
For the topping (optional)
50g granulated sugar
100ml dry sherry
200g fresh or frozen cranberry
Mix together all the filling ingredients in a large bowl and season with 1.5 tsp salt.
Now make the pastry. Pour 150ml water into a saucepan, add the lard and 1/2 tsp salt, and bring to the boil. Once the lard has melted, remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, sift the flour and 1 tsp salt together into a large bowl. Pour over the hot liquid and stir vigorously to form a dough.
Tip onto your work surface and knead for a couple of mins to develop the gluten slightly and create an even-textured pastry. (Once made, keep covered with cling film – see tips.)
Remove roughly one-third of the pastry and set aside to make the lid later. Roll the remaining pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin. You’ll need a 20cm-deep springform cake tin to assemble the pie in.
Line the cake tin with the pastry, pushing it well into the corners and up the sides of the tin (use a small ball of dough to do this). Leave any excess hanging over the top of the tin.
Add the filling to the pie, packing it tightly – this will expel any air pockets and create a nice flat top for the cranberries to sit on later.
Roll out the reserved pastry to the same thickness and lift it onto the pie to create a lid. Press into the pastry around the edges and trim off any excess. Crimp with 2 fingers if you like. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg. Cut a hole in the centre to let the steam out as it cooks. You can now chill it for up to 24 hrs or cook straight away. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Bake for 30 mins, then reduce heat to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and bake for another 1 hr 45 mins. If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature of the pie should be 75C. If not, insert the end of a spoon into the centre of the pie and hold it there for 10 secs – it should be hot to the touch.
Place the tin on a wire rack to cool, then remove the pie (see tips). Warm the stock and put the gelatine in a bowl of cold water to soften for 5 mins. Squeeze out any drops of water, then add the gelatine to the stock, stir in until dissolved, and season well. Transfer to a jug.
If there is no gap between the pastry and meat, you'll need to poke a skewer into the hole and wiggle it around to create space for the stock. Pour two-thirds of the stock into the central hole (use a piping nozzle as a funnel, if you have one), or as much as you can, but reserve about 4 tbsp for the topping. Chill for at least 2 hrs.
Dissolve the sugar with the Sherry over a low heat. Once dissolved, bring to the boil and add the cranberries. Cook for 1-2 mins, but remove from the heat before the cranberries burst. Leave to cool. Once the stock in the pie has set to a jelly, top with the cranberries. Melt your remaining jellied stock in a saucepan over a low heat, then use it to brush the cranberries generously. Return to the fridge for 1 hr to set the topping. Enjoy within 3 days.
Raised pork pie
PREP: 45 MINS COOK: 2 HRS, 20 MINS plus cooling and chilling time
MORE EFFORT SERVES 10
Unsure how to make a pork pie? This traditional hot water crust pastry filled with pork shoulder and belly will ensure success
For the filling
800g pork shoulder, minced or finely chopped
400g pork belly, half minced and half chopped
250g smoked bacon, cubed
½ tsp ground mace
2 large pinches ground nutmeg
1 tbsp fresh chopped sage
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground white pepper
For the pastry
575g plain flour
200g lard
220ml water
To finish
1 egg, beaten
6 gelatine leaf
300ml chicken stock
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients for the filling.
To make the pastry, put the flour in a large bowl, then put the lard and water into a small pan and heat gently until the lard melts. Bring just to the boil and then stir into the flour using a wooden spoon. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, (it should still feel very warm) knead well until smooth.
Cut off 1/4 of the dough, wrap in cling film and reserve for the lid. Roll out the remaining dough to a circle and then place in the base of a non-stick 20cm springform cake tin. Working quickly while the dough is warm and pliable, press the dough evenly over the base and up the sides of the tin. Make sure there are no holes. Fill with the meat mixture and pack down well. Roll out the dough for the lid. Place on top of the pie. Pinch all around the edge to seal the pie. Make a hole for steam in the centre, using the handle of a wooden spoon.
Cook in the oven for 30 mins then reduce the heat to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and cook for 90 minutes. Brush the top with beaten egg and return to the oven for a further 20 mins. Leave until cold.
Soak the gelatine in cold water for about 5 mins, then remove and squeeze out the excess water. Heat the stock until almost boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatine. Leave to cool to room temperature.
Use a small funnel to pour the stock into the pie through the hole in the top. Pour in a little at a time allowing a few seconds before each addition. Place in the fridge to set overnight
chicken & ham pie
PREP: 30 MINS COOK: 1 HR, 45 MINS plus cooling and chilling
A CHALLENGE CUTS INTO 12-15 SLICES
1 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing
1 tbsp chopped sage
1 tsp ground mace
300g boneless, skinless chicken thigh (about 3)
1kg cooked ham, trimmed of fat and thickly sliced
50g shelled pistachio
50g cranberry (fresh or frozen)
50g dried apricot, diced
3 tbsp chopped parsley
good grating nutmeg
700g skinless chicken breast, halved to thin
chutney and salad to serve, (optional)
For the pastry
375g plain white flour
375g strong white flour
140g butter
175g lard
1 egg, beaten
For the jelly
3 gelatine leaf
500ml strong chicken stock, heated
Soften the onion in the butter with the sage and mace. Cool for a few mins while you whizz the chicken thighs and 300g of the ham in a food processor until minced. Scrape into a large bowl and stir in the softened onion, pistachios, cranberries, apricots and parsley. Season with nutmeg, lots of black pepper and some salt.
Grease a deep, 20cm round springform or loose-bottomed tin, then line with baking parchment. To make the pastry, mix together the flours and 2 tsp salt in a large bowl, then make a well in the centre. Put the butter and lard into a small pan with 200ml water and very gently melt. Once melted, turn up the heat and when just bubbling, pour into the well and stir with a wooden spoon to a dough – don’t worry if some powdery bits remain.
Once cool enough to handle, knead in the bowl until the dough comes together, then tip onto your work surface. Set aside a third, wrapped in a clean tea towel to keep it as warm and pliable as possible, while you quickly roll the remaining dough into a large circle – big enough to line the tin with a little overhanging.
Ease the circle into the tin, pressing evenly into the corners and side – you can be rough with it. Evenly cover the base with half the remaining sliced ham, followed by half the chicken breasts and half the mince mixture, pressing firmly to pack. Repeat with the remaining ham and chicken, then a rounded dome of mince. Put a pie funnel, if you have one, on the top.
Roll the reserved dough to a circle large enough to easily cover the pie, cutting out a hole (if using a pie funnel). Brush the edge of the pie with some beaten egg and top with the pastry lid. Press to seal the edges before trimming the excess. Crimp the edges between your thumb and forefinger to seal thoroughly, then make a small hole in the middle to let steam escape (if not using a pie funnel). Brush the top of the pie with more beaten egg.
Heat oven to 200C/180 fan/gas 6. Bake the pie for 1 hr. Very, very carefully remove the pie from its tin, brush the top and side with more egg and bake for another 30 mins until browned and crisp. Leave to cool completely before chilling.
To make the jelly, soak the gelatine in cold water for 5-10 mins until soft. Squeeze out any excess water from the gelatine, then dissolve in the hot stock. Once cooled, carefully pour into your chilled pie through the small hole, using a funnel, until full – you may not need all the stock. Chill the pie for a few hrs. Serve with chutney and salad, if you like.
DEEP-FILLED CHRISTMAS LAYER PIE WITH CHICKEN, STUFFING AND CRANBERRY
Serves: 6-8 Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Prep Time: 25 minutes plus cooling Effort: medium
25 g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onions, finely chopped
500 g quality pork sausage meat
1 lemons, grated zest
175 g fresh white breadcrumbs
75 g ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped
50 g chestnuts, canned or vacuum, chopped
1 handfuls parsley, chopped
6 sprig thyme, stripped from stems
125 g cranberries
1 pinches black pepper
500 g boneless chicken breasts
500 g pre-made shortcrust pastry
1 eggs, beaten
1. Preheat the oven to 190?C/gas 5. Heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan, add the onion and fry for a couple of minutes, until softened.
2. Tip the sausage meat, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, apricots, chestnuts, parsley, thyme and cranberries into a large bowl. Add the onion, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and mix well (mixing with your hands is the best way).
3. Cut each chicken breast into three fillets lengthwise, season on all sides with salt and freshly ground pepper, then add to the same pan you fried the onions in, and fry for 6-8 minutes, turning once until golden.
4. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry and line a 20-23cm deep tart tin. Spoon in half the cranberry mixture and spread over the base. Fit the chicken pieces over the top and cover with the rest of the cranberry mixture. Press down lightly.
5. Roll out the remaining pastry. Brush the edges of the pie with beaten egg, and cover with the lid. Press the edges to seal and trim off excess pastry. Brush the top of the pie with egg, roll out the trimmings and stamp out holly leaves. Decorate the top of the pie, and brush again with egg.
6. Set the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown. Cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then remove and leave to cool completely. 7. Cut into thick slices and serve with pickles, coleslaw, red cabbage and potato salad.
Game pie with cranberries & chestnuts
PREP: 1 HR COOK: 2 HRS, 25 MINS plus at least 6 hrs chilling A CHALLENGE SERVES 12
Make this impressive looking pie and keep it in the fridge, ready for a lunch buffet. The simple hot water crust pastry is well worth the effort
For the filling
200g fresh or frozen cranberries
50g golden caster sugar
800g mixed boneless game, such as rabbit, venison, wild boar, pheasant, partridge or pigeon, finely chopped
300g pork belly, minced (ask your butcher to do this, or pulse in a food processor)
200g smoked lardons
150g cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
½ tsp ground mace
2 large pinches of ground nutmeg
small bunch sage, finely chopped
1 tsp chopped thyme
1 tsp ground white pepper
For the hot water crust pastry
200g lard, cubed, plus a little for greasing
575g plain flour
To finish
1 egg, beaten
4 gelatine leaves
300ml chicken stock
First, make a cranberry sauce for the centre of the pie. Tip 150g of the cranberries and the sugar into a saucepan, add 1 tbsp water and bring to a simmer. Bubble for 4-5 mins until the cranberries have softened and you have a glossy sauce. Cool completely. Mix the remaining filling ingredients (including the remaining cranberries) in a large bowl and season well.
When you’re ready to make the pastry, boil the kettle and grease a deep 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with a little lard. Tip the flour into a bowl and season with 1 tsp salt. Measure 220ml hot water into a jug and add the lard. Stir until melted, then pour into the flour and mix with a wooden spoon to form a dough. It’s best to roll hot water crust pastry while it’s warm, so – working quickly – remove a quarter of the pastry, wrap and set aside. Roll the remaining pastry on a floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use the warm pastry to line your cake tin, leaving any excess pastry overhanging, and pushing it right into the corners. If it tears, patch it up with the excess – this pastry is very forgiving, so you don’t have to be too gentle with it. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Pack half the filling into the bottom of the lined tin, making sure there are no air pockets. Spread the cranberry sauce over the meat, then pack the remaining filling on top, creating a slightly domed shape in the middle. Use a pair of scissors to trim the excess pastry to about 2cm all the way around, then brush the inside rim with some of the beaten egg. Unwrap the remaining pastry and roll out to the same thickness as before. Cut into wide strips and use to create a lattice on top of the pie, tightly weaving the pastry strips under and over each other. Pinch the pastry together around the edges, then roll the excess in towards the centre to create a neat edge. Brush the top of the pie with more egg.
Cook in the oven for 45 mins, then reduce the heat to 160C/ 140C fan/gas 3 and cook for a further 1 hr 30 mins. Leave to cool at room temperature, then chill overnight, or for at least 4 hrs.
Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 mins, then remove and squeeze out the excess water. Heat the stock until almost boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatine. Leave to cool to room temperature.
Pour the stock into the pie through the holes in the lattice, using a funnel. Pour in a little at a time, allowing a few seconds before each addition (you may not need all the stock). Put in the fridge for another 2 hrs to set the jelly, then serve in wedges. Eat within 3 days.