Pork mince, belly and unsmoked streaky bacon create the filling of this pie which is then encased in hot water crust pastry, baked and filled with homemade pork jelly.
Place 250 grams pork mince, 250 grams smoked back bacon, chopped and 500 grams pork belly, chopped into a mixing bowland add 2 tsp Shetland sea salt, 1 tsp ground white pepper, 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper1 tbsp dried sage.
Using your hands, mix well until combined. Refrigerate until needed. Soak 8 leaves bronze-leaf gelatine in cold water.
Bring 1 pint pork stock to a gentle boil in a small saucepan. Add 2 bay leaves and 3 sage leaves.
Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatine and add to the hot stock.
Whiskuntil dissolved. Season well with 2 tsp Shetland sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Strain the stock through asieve, reserving the liquid. Leave to cool.
Cut 1 kg hot water crust pastry, chilled, into thirds. Divide one third into half. These will form the bases and lids of your pies.
Using a rolling pin, roll each pastry base to a thickness of 1 cm. The lids can be slightly thinner.
Divide your meat mixture into two and form into circle shapes approximately three fingers tall. Trim the excess pastry around the edges of the pastry base, making sure there's enough left to cover the sides of the meat. Egg wash around the outside edge of the pastry base around the meat with 1 free range egg whisked in 1 tbsp water.
Place the lid on the top of the meat and bring up the base to meet the lid.
Pinch together the pie base and lid, trimming away any excess. Make a 1.5 cm steam hole in the top and using a little of the excess trim, form a small chimney. Place on a baking tray.
Egg wash the entire outside of the pie and bake in a preheated 180 C oven for one hour. After 20 minutes, give the whole pie another egg wash.
After cooking, immediately transfer the cooked pies to a cooling rack. Re-open the chimney holes with the back of a teaspoon, and using a kitchen funnel (or similar) pour the pork jelly into the top of the chimney. Top up every ten minutes as the jelly soaks down.
Cool in the refrigerator for at least six hours before eating.