It sounds simple. You make a pastry with flour, lard (I used duck fat), boiling water, and salt. Press it into a specially-made heavy pork-pie tin. Fill with seasoned coarsely ground pork. Top with more pastry. And bake.
Well that's what I did, and, yes, it was simple. But to achieve a real Melton Mowbray style pie is not so easy.
As you can see, I slightly burned the top (it wasn't as bad as it looks); using our wood-fired cooker is a little hit-n-miss on temperature. I covered it with aluminium foil, and all was then OK.
Now all I have to do is work on my technique with the jelly; all the gaps should have been filled. I couldn't get it to pour in; too much pork inside perhaps!
As you can see, I slightly burned the top (it wasn't as bad as it looks); using our wood-fired cooker is a little hit-n-miss on temperature. I covered it with aluminium foil, and all was then OK.
When I asked Lady Magnon for her verdict, she said "It reminds me of the pie that Pip stole for Magwitch..... it's very good". She always says the right things!
Now all I have to do is work on my technique with the jelly; all the gaps should have been filled. I couldn't get it to pour in; too much pork inside perhaps!
