26 double-crust pies double-crust pies 27

pork &apple pie with cider gravy

Season the pork all over generously with salt and pepper. Heat a

tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan and fry the meat over a

medium-high heat, until browned all over – best to do this in

3 batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Transfer the meat to a

large casserole dish as it is browned.

Add another tablespoon of oil and fry the onions over a medium-

high heat until soft and golden. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan

160°C/Gas 4. Deglaze the pan with half the dry cider, dissolving a

pork stock cube into the cider as soon as it begins to simmer. Stir

hard to lift the sediment from the pan. Pour into the casserole dish

and add the remaining cider, 150ml of water, 6 whole sage leaves

and bay leaf. Cover and cook in the oven for 1½–2 hours, stirring

halfway through cooking, or until the pork is very tender.

Carefully tip the pork mixture into a colander over a bowl and

allow to drain, then set the cooking liquor aside. Remove the whole

sage leaves and bay leaf. Transfer the pork and onions to a bowl

and leave to cool. Finely shred the remaining sage leaves, then add

the sage and apples to the pork, sprinkle with flour and plenty of

seasoning, and toss everything together. Set aside while you

prepare the pastry.

To make the pastry, put the flour, butter and lard into a food

processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Reserve 1 tablespoon of the beaten egg and water for glazing the

pie, then, with the motor running, add the rest to the mixture in a

constant stream until the dough starts to come together in a ball.

Continued overleaf...

1kg boneless, rindless pork

shoulder, cut into 3cm chunks

2 tbsp sunflower oil

3 medium onions, about 300g

total weight, halved and sliced

500ml dry cider

1 pork stock cube

150ml cold water

1 fresh bay leaf or 2 dried

16 large fresh sage leaves

400g Bramley cooking apples,

peeled, quartered, cored and

cut into 2cm chunks

2 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp cornflour

flaked sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

shortcrust pastry

400g plain flour

100g cold butter, cut into cubes

100g cold lard, cut into cubes

1 large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp

of cold water

You'll need a casserole dish and

a 23cm springclip cake tin

Pork and apple are a classic flavour combination and make

a belter of a pie. Gravy is a must for some pies, and our cider

gravy is the perfect partner here.

Serves 6–8

28 double-crust pies double-crust pies 29

Weigh the pastry and set aside 200g for the pie lid. Form the rest of

the pastry into a flattish ball. Place on a lightly floured surface

and roll it out into a circle about the thickness of a £1 coin, turning

the pastry and flouring the surface and rolling pin regularly.

Use the pastry to line the cake tin, leaving the excess overhanging

the sides. (There should only be about 2cm of excess pastry. If you

have more, it might mean that you’ve rolled the pastry too thin to

support the filling and you’ll knead to re-roll it a bit thicker.) Brush

the edge with beaten egg.

Add the pork and apple mixture to the tin, spreading it evenly. Roll

out the reserved pastry for the lid in the same way as before, place

the tin on top and cut around it to make a perfect circle for the lid.

Place on top of the filling, pressing the edges firmly to seal. Trim

off the excess pastry and press the edges firmly together. Use a

fork to add a decorative edge to the pie. Make a small hole in the

centre with the point of a knife., then brush with more beaten egg

to glaze.

Bake the pie in the centre of the oven for 50–60 minutes until the

pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and use a narrow

knife to carefully loosen the pastry case away from the edge of the

tin – this will help prevent the pastry from splitting. Leave the pie

to stand for about 5 minutes before carefully removing the tin and

sliding the pie onto a board or platter to serve.

While the pie is standing, make the gravy. Pour the reserved

cooking liquor into a measuring jug and add enough cold water to

make the quantity up to 400ml. Mix 2 tablespoons of the liquid

with the cornflour in a small bowl. Pour the rest into a saucepan

and place over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, then stir in the

cornflour mixture, reduce the heat slightly and simmer for

2 minutes, while stirring. Adjust the seasoning to taste and strain

into a warmed gravy jug. Serve with generous slices of the pie.

pork & apple pie continued...