Stars of the show
Jewelled pork & pistachio pie
A nod to everyone’s favourite Christmas trimming, pigs in blankets, this striking pie will be the crowning glory of your Boxing Day table. With sausage and bacon, as well as hints of sage and nutmeg, and a little sweetness from dried fruits, this is packed with flavour and keeps in the fridge for a few days – so, ideal for last-minute guests or a late-night snack with pickles and cheese. The hot water crust pastry means it doesn’t require a delicate touch, and there’s no jelly layer to worry about either.
SERVES 10-12 PREP 45 mins plus cooling and at least 4 hrs chilling COOK 2 hrs 5 mins MORE EFFORT ❄
8 rashers smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped
600g boneless pork shoulder, rind removed, chopped into 1cm chunks (prepared weight)
400g sausagemeat
¼ whole nutmeg or ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
8 sage leaves, finely chopped
70g dried cranberries
70g dried apricots, chopped
100g shelled pistachios
For the hot water pastry
75g lard, chopped into small pieces
75g butter, chopped into small pieces
550g plain flour
1 egg, beaten
1 Tip the bacon, pork and sausagemeat into a large bowl, then grate in the nutmeg and add the sage, cranberries, apricots, pistachios, 1/4 tsp salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Mix to combine, then cover and keep chilled while you make the pastry.
Tip the lard and butter into a small pan with 150ml water and bring to a simmer. Weigh the flour out in a heatproof bowl with tsp salt. When the butter and lard have melted and the mixture is steaming, pour it over the flour and
