National Pie Day – Pork, Apple and Cyder Pie

This National Pie Day we wanted to share one of our recipes taken from our fantastic Cooking for One book which is available to purchase here on our website and from a number of local stockists.

All profits from the sale of Cooking for One will be donated to Cruse Bereavement Support whose work in supporting bereaved people is invaluable.

Pork, Apple and Cyder Pie

Ingredients

15g butter
Splash Hillfarm Extra Virgin Cold-Pressed Rapeseed Oil
30g pork loin, cut into small chunks
25g leeks, peeled and sliced
½ tsp dried sage
300ml Aspall Draught Cyder
Roux
1 heaped tsp butter
2 heaped tsp plain flour
1 dessert apple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
Pastry
60g plain flour
30g butter, diced
Pinch salt
1–2 tsp ice-cold water
One egg yolk

Method

Melt the first 15g butter in a heavy-bottomed pan with the oil. Add the pork and brown for a few minutes, stirring so it doesn’t stick. Add the leeks and dried sage to the pan and brown for a couple of minutes before adding the cyder. Simmer for 10 mins.

In another small saucepan, melt 1 heaped teaspoon butter, then add 2 heaped teaspoons plain flour and mix until it forms a thickish paste (roux). Keep mixing over a low heat until slightly brown. Add the juices from the meat to the roux, a tablespoon at a time, and mix in – all on very low heat. Continue until all the juice has been added.

Add the raw apple to the roux, followed by the pork and leek. Coat all the ingredients in the roux and simmer for three minutes.

Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6.

While the filling is cooling, make the pastry. Sift the 60g of flour into a mixing bowl and add the 30g butter, rubbing with your fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in a pinch of salt, then add 1–2 tsp ice-cold water and mix to a firm dough.

Sprinkle some plain flour onto a cold flat surface, and lightly dust your rolling pin. Place the dough in the middle of the flour and roll firmly, always rolling away from you. Turn the dough 90 degrees every two to three rolls. Roll out the pastry until it has the depth of a pound coin.

Take an individual pie dish, turn it upside down and cut out the shape to fit the top of your pie.

If you have a pie whistle, put this in the bottom of your dish, spread pie filling around the pie whistle. Cut a small cross in the middle of your pastry lid and slide over the whistle. If you don’t have a pie whistle, place the pastry lid on top of filling and cut a small cross in the centre.

Whisk the egg yolk and paint a layer onto the top of the pie with a pastry brush. For best results place pie in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking in the oven for 25 minutes or until the pie crust has turned a golden brown.