The Eunice Power Column - Little Pork Pies

Life on the farm is pretty hectic at the moment with new calves arriving, training first time cows to the milking machine along with the other joys of spring. I don’t get overly involved in the farm, but I do look after my farmer husband and with the help of good food keep his spirits up during these somewhat trying days.

For the past few weeks I have been making these little pork pies which are wolfed down with the 4 o’clock cup of tea. They have been a great hit in the school lunchboxes too, replacing the mandatory sandwich.

Really easy to make and a joy to eat with a big dollop of last year’s apple chutney,

This is a great all purpose pastry recipe. I usually make it in the mixer with a K beater; it has great flavour and texture.

400g plain white flour, pinch of salt
100g butter – diced and from the fridge
100g vegetable fat –diced and from the fridge
3-4 tbsp cold water

Mix the flour and salt in the bowl of your mixer, add in the butter and vegetable fat and mix until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs, add in the cold water – just enough for the pastry to come together.

Turn out onto a floured surface, knead lightly until it forms a ball, wrap loosely in clingfilm and allow to rest for 15 minutes in the fridge.

Meanwhile grease a 12 hole muffin tray, I usually pop into the fridge while the pastry is resting.

For the filling:

450g pork loin - diced
200g streaky bacon - diced
4 finely sliced spring onions
2 shallots finely diced
A tablespoon each of finely chopped parsley and chives
Salt and pepper to season
A little olive oil for frying.

Pre-heat the oven to 190ºC

Start off by sweating the shallots in a frying pan over a medium heat until golden.

Blitz the pork and the streaky bacon in a food processor until combined, transfer to a bowl and add in the other ingredients, mix and season well.

Roll out the pastry and using a large round cutter cut 12 large circles about 9cm and 12 smaller circles about 7cm. Line each of the muffin holes with the large pastry circles and divide the filling between them.

Then cut little holes in the centre of the smaller circles, brush the edges for each pie with a little beaten egg, and then place the lids on top, pressing the edges together. Brush the tops with egg to glaze then pop in the fridge for ½ an hour to rest.

When you take them out of the fridge, brush them again with egg and bake in a pre-heated oven for 15 minutes; reduce the heat to 160ºC and continue baking for a further 25 minutes.

Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes or so and transfer to a wire rack
 
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More recipes from Eunice Power are available on www.eunicepower.com

Room reservations can be made on www.powersfield.com - hope to see you in Dungarvan during the year.

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Eunice Power is a professional chef with over twenty years experience in the hospitality business. She runs Powersfield House in Dungarvan County Waterford, which is our B&B of the Year for 2012 and also the winner of the Best B&B Breakfast. Her philosophy is to use fresh, seasonal, locally produced food, sourced organically where possible. 

Eunice has a successful outside catering company, writes about food (she is the author of an excellent cookery book written for local company Waterford Stanley) and teaches at Paul Flynn’s Tannery Cooking School, where her enthusiasm and zest for a life filled with good food are given free rein."