This Spicy Braised Pork and Rhubarb Pie is based loosely on a pork pie but differs in that the pork is long, slow braised beforehand and then pulled apart, seasoned and placed in the pie, topped with the cooked rhubarb and the sauce.
Do not be put off by the length of this recipe, or the making of the pastry cases, it is actually quite straightforward. The pastry can me made while the pork is cooling. And, if you so wish, cook the pork the day before, even better.
Do not be put off by the length of this recipe, or the making of the pastry cases, it is actually quite straightforward. The pastry can me made while the pork is cooling. And, if you so wish, cook the pork the day before, even better.
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours, 40 minutes
Yield: 6 pies
Ingredients:
- For the Pork:
- 750g pork shoulder, rolled and tied
- 2 large shallots, peeled
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2.5 cm fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thickly
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil
- 300 ml dry cider
- 300g rhubarb, trimmed weight ***
- Salt and pepper
- ½ tsp mace
- ½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- Hot Water Pastry:
- 200ml water
- 75g butter
- 75g lard
- 450g plain flour sieved with 1 tbsp icing sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 tsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
- You will also need 6 x 8cm wide 7 cm deep individual pudding moulds or small jam jars. Greaseproof paper and string.
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 180° C/ Gas 4
Prepare the Pork:
- Score the skin of the pork with a very sharp knife then place into a roomy roasting tray. Whizz the shallots, garlic, ginger, honey, pepper and rapeseed oil into a food processor to form a thick paste. Smear the paste all over the pork, skin and meat included. Pour in the cider. Tightly cover the roasting tray with foil and roast in the preheated oven for 1 ½ hours.
- Take the dish from the oven and increase the temperature to 220°C/Gas7. Remove the foil and baste the pork with the pan juices. Cut the rhubarb into 5cm lengths and scatter into the sauce. Return the tray to the oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until well coloured.
- Remove the tray from the oven, take out the pork and place to one side to cool. Strain the pan juices through a fine sieve into a small saucepan. Keep the rhubarb to one side.
Make the Hot Water Pastry:
- Put the water, butter and lard into a saucepan and bring to a gentle heat, simmer until the butter and lard are melted, then bring to a gentle boil.
- Place the flour, icing sugar and salt in a roomy baking bowl. Add the egg and mix loosely with a knife. Pour the water, butter and lard into the bowl with the flour and egg and mix thoroughly. Remove from pastry from the bowl and knead on a floured surface to create a silky, smooth dough.
To Make the Pastry Cases:
- Smear the bottom and sides of the moulds or jars with a little oil. Cut 6 strips of greaseproof paper 7cm deep and wide enough to wrap around the moulds/jars.
- Take 2/3 of the pastry and roll out on a floured surface to 5mm thick. Keep the remaining 1/3 wrapped. Cut 6 x 15cm circles. Lay the pastry circle over the bottom of moulds/jars and press to come up the side. Cover with a strip of greaseproof and tie into place with string. Trim the top edge to create a neat edge. Place into the refrigerator to harden.
Assemble the Pies:
- Once the pork is cooled, remove the covering fat, then shred the pork using 2 forks. Place into a bowl, season with salt, pepper, mace and nutmeg.
- Place the sauce over a high heat and boil down to create a thick sauce. Add ½ the sauce to the pork and stir.
- Remove the pastry shells from the refrigerator. Carefully slide the shells from the moulds/jars. Place on a baking tray. Two-thirds fill each case with the meat and sauce and place a heaped teaspoon of the rhubarb on top. If you have any pork left over don't worry it is lovely in a sandwich.
- Roll the remaining pastry to 5mm and cut circles to make lids for the pies. Dampen the edges of the pies and lids with cold water, place a lid on each pie, press gently into place and crimp the edges. Cut a hole in the centre of each lid, glaze with a little beaten egg and bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
- Pour a little of the remaining sauce into the hole and either serve hot, to leave to cool. Either way is delicious.
