‘Goddess of Pie’ Kirsty Heather of Cooper’s Handmade Pies has crafted this beautifully-decadent and flavoursome Pork Terrine Pie.

Hot Water Pastry

500g plain flour
Pinch of Murray River salt flakes
150ml melted lard or butter
200ml boiling water

Method

1. Combine flour and salt, make a well in the centre.

2. Pour lard/butter and hot water into well in flour, mix well until flour is combined. This should come together to make a pliable dough. Take care not knead or over-handle the dough.

3. Reserve about a third of the dough for the lid. Roll out the remainder a floured surface to fit and slightly overhang a deep 15cm cake tin by at least 3 to 4cm. Do this while the dough is still warm.

4. Rollout the remainder on your floured surface to make a pastry lid, then put aside covered with a tea towel until required.

Pork Jelly

1 pork hock
2 pig trotters
1 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, sliced
10 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Water

1. Bring hock, trotters, onion, celery, peppercorns, bay leaf and water (enough to cover) to the boil.

2. Reduce heat and simmer for approx. 2 ½ to 3 hours.

3. Remove hock and trotters. Strain liquid, transfer one litre to a clean pan, skim fat, and boil and reduce until the liquid has halved to about 500ml). This will take about half an hour. Set aside until required.

Jelly (alternative chicken stock option)

1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 ½ tsp gelatine
Bring to the boil, set aside until required.

Pork Terrine Filling

350g pancetta slices (approx. 30 slices)

1 onion, finely diced
1 tbsp duck fat
2tbsp brandy
500g pork mince
Salt and cracked pepper (to taste)
Bunch fresh sage leaves, chopped
Bunch fresh parsley, chopped
½ tsp nutmeg
4 spring onions
2 chicken breast fillets (or 1 breast and meat from hock if making pork jelly)

Method

1. Line the inside of the pastry with a single, slightly overlapping layer of pancetta to cover the entire base and sides of pastry. Leave enough pancetta overhanging to cover the top of the pie once filled.

2. Roughly dice the remainder of the pancetta and fry off with onion and duck fat. Add the brandy and simmer until moisture is absorbed.

3. In a separate bowl, combine pork mince, salt, pepper, sage, parsley, nutmeg, spring onions and shredded meat from the hock; or (if not using pork jelly) ONE of the chicken breast fillets, diced into approx 2cm cubes.

4. Add half of the pork mixture to the pie.

5. Thinly slice the other chicken breast and layer over the top of pork mixture.

6. Top with remaining pork mixture and fold the overhanging pancetta and any extra overhanging pastry  over the top of the pie.

7. Place a plate that fits on top of pie and weigh it down with something considerably heavy. Leave for several hours to compact.

8. Brush the folded over pastry with eggwash and place the pastry lid on top.

9. Make a small hole in the centre of the pie, and craft a button lid to cover it from pastry. This can be later removed to top up the pie with pork jelly.

10. If you desire, also work with any pastry scraps to design the top of your pie, perhaps making a sage leaf design as we have.

11. Glaze top of pie with eggwash and bake for 40 minutes in a moderate oven (180C).

12. Place a funnel into the top of the pie, and slowly pour in the jelly while warm (reheat to liquid if necessary).

Stand at room temperature until jelly sets, approximately 3 hours.

To serve

Serve the pie cold, sliced, with a simple salad of baby spinach leaves, thinly sliced apple and fennel, and walnuts. Add a light vinaigrette, season to taste.

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